Kolkata: The blaze at ESI Hospital in Sealdah has once again sent healthcare facilities in the city scurrying to inspect their own fire-safety infrastructure and fire-fighting measures. From running a check on the existing fire fighting equipment, to stringent fire audits and fire drills, hospitals said they were taking stock of all aspects to prevent any possibility of a fire and in case there was one, limit the extent of damage.
Hospital administrators pointed out that apart from the 2011 blaze at AMRI Hospitals, Dhakuria, in which more than 90 patients died, none of the other hospital fires that followed led to any casualty but even a minor spark was reason enough to spread panic among patients, many of whom were critically ill. Officials at hospitals stressed that fire safety was given utmost importance. “We have been very stringent about fire safety measures, which includes an internal quarterly audit and an annual audit by a consultant. But even then, a fire can break out accidentally. That is why we conduct regular drills so that the equipment is checked regularly and can control the flames immediately in case a fire does break out,” said a senior official at Fortis Hospital.
Two incidents of fire have been reported at MCH over the past five years. “Luckily the both the incidents had occurred in the old buildings. There, the huge balconies and windows allowed the smoke to escape easily. Moreover, our fire-fighting mechanism prevented any major damage. In addition to regular fire audits, our employees are also trained in fire-fighting,” said an administrator at MCH.
Most of the fires were caused from electrical short circuits, either from the air conditioning system or other hospital equipment that needed electrical connection.
“We have patients, many of whom can’t even move on their own. Even a minor fire can create a huge impact on a hospital. We take every precaution and measure to ensure fire safety,” said an official at RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences.