Fire in Indian Hospital Leaves 5 Coronavirus Patients Killed

Fire broke out this morning, on Friday, in a privately-run hospital treating coronavirus patients in Gujarat’s Rajkot, western India, killing at least five and injuring 28 others.

Fire engines restricted the blaze to one floor of the hospital around 12:30 p.m. and extinguished it within 30 minutes, according to Police officer K.N. Bhukan.

“Five patients died and six others were injured. The fire was extinguished in less than half an hour,” Rajkot Town Police Commissioner Manoj Agarwal told Indian Express.

Gopal Kateshiya, an Indian Journalist who works at Indian Express stated that additional chief secretary AK Rakesh reached the hospital to investigate the incident; the reason of the fire is still unknown.

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On his part, Rajkot fire chief Bhikha Theba mentioned that there were 33 patients in the hospital, including 11 intensive care patients.

"Three of them died on the spot, while we managed to rescue the other 30 and transfer them to Gokul hospital on the main road of Vidya Nagar and to Kuvadva in ambulances with the help of doctors,” Theba stated. “The fire was extinguished in 30 to 45 minutes. It appeared that the fire could have been started by an electrical short circuit.”