Fire triggers panic at West Medinipur hospital

A fire broke out in a five-storeyed private nursing home leading to the evacuation of all 80 patients admitted there in West Medinipur district on Wednesday, fire brigade and police sources said.

The fire broke out in the basement of the building with the authorities alerting the fire brigade which evacuated the 80 patients, including four heart patients in the ICU, the sources said.

The condition of one of the heart patients deteriorated while being rescued, they said. The fire which was caused by a short circuit was extinguished after three hours by four fire engines, the sources said. The nursing home authorities said that the patients were being admitted to other medical facilities.

A fire also broke out in the emergency ward of the state-run SSKM hospital in Kolkata, but was controlled within 30 minutes, fire brigade sources said.

Fire at SSKM
A fire broke out in the emergency ward of state-run SSKM hospital here this morning. All patients were safely evacuated, officials said.