Delhi: Fire in Safdarjung ICU ward, 50 patients shifted

New Delhi: There was panic at Safdarjung Hospital on Wednesday morning after a fire broke out in the intensive care unit (ICU) on the first floor of H Block. At least 50 patients had to be evacuated. Fire officials said that no one was injured in the incident. The fire probably started because of high voltage fluctuation and a short circuit.

The incident was reported to Delhi Fire Service around 6.30 am by the hospital authorities. DFS director Atul Garg said, “When our firefighters reached the spot, they found that a short circuit in a ventilator machine had led to the fire causing a lot of smoke in the ward on the first floor. This block is a three-storey building. The hospital staff reported that eight patients were inside the ICU. Our men rushed inside and all eight patients were evacuated with the help of hospital staff,” Garg said.

The fire chief said, at least nine fire tenders were rushed to the spot to contain the blaze. “While firefighters were trying to contain the blaze, as many as forty of our men were roped in to carry out a massive rescue operation. With the help of the hospital staff, they shifted over 50 patients, who were in wards next to the ICU where the fire broke out, to other floors to save them from suffocating. They were attended to by doctors and are fine,” he added.