Did rapid ramp up during pandemic derail fire safety in hospitals?

A fast ramp-up during the Covid-19 pandemic may have also led to the overlooking of some parameters for makeshift hospitals, feels the industry.

Earlier this month, eight Covid-19 patients asphyxiated to death in under two minutes at an Ahmedabad hospital that was located close to one of the busiest commercial business districts of the city. It all began with a table fan, reportedly plugged into the same socket as medical equipment, causing a short circuit in the intensive care unit of Shrey Hospital.

Fire and architectural experts have raised alarm as many such small and medium hospitals lack a renewed no objection certificate (NOC) for fire safety. Ahmedabad alone has witnessed six fire incidents at hospitals in the past 16 months. Yet, only