This tragedy adds to a growing list of fire-related fatalities in Indian hospitals. Just last month, on November 15, 10 newborns perished in a fire at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College and Hospital in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh
A devastating fire at City Hospital, an orthopaedic speciality centre in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, claimed six lives, including a child and two women, last week. The victims, five visitors and one in-patient on a wheelchair, were trapped in the hospital’s lift, where they reportedly succumbed to suffocation as smoke engulfed the building.
Trapped In Lift Amid Chaos
The fire began as a short circuit on the ground floor, igniting patient records in the outpatient department. Smoke quickly spread through the four-storey building, reaching the upper floors and leaving patients and visitors struggling to breathe. In an attempt to mitigate the situation, the hospital’s power supply was cut, but this inadvertently left six individuals trapped in the lift between two floors. For over 30 minutes, the lift remained stuck as smoke seeped in through the vents.
Thirty-two patients were evacuated to the nearby Dindigul Government Hospital for further treatment, with three requiring ventilator support.
Recurring Fire Incidents Raise Concerns
This tragedy adds to a growing list of fire-related fatalities in Indian hospitals. Just last month, on November 15, 10 newborns perished in a fire at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College and Hospital in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. Earlier in May, a blaze at New Born Baby Care Hospital in East Delhi resulted in the deaths of seven infants.
These repeated incidents highlight the lack of attention to fire safety in healthcare facilities across the country. Experts and activists have long criticised the negligence towards ensuring fireproof infrastructure and the proper maintenance of safety systems in both public and private hospitals.
Urgent Need For Reform
India has fire safety regulations in place, but their implementation often remains superficial. Regular inspections and the renewal of fire safety licences are often treated as mere formalities, undermining their purpose. Experts stress the importance of adhering to safety protocols, maintaining fire detection and suppression systems, and ensuring that hospital staff are trained for emergencies.
The government must take immediate steps to prioritise fire safety in hospitals. Periodic checks and compliance with fire safety norms are essential to prevent such tragedies. If hospitals are to be in the news, it should be for their ability to save lives—not for the preventable loss of life due to fire accidents.
