At least 13 patients died on Friday after a fire broke out at an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a COVID hospital in the Virar area of Maharashtra’s Palghar district. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered an inquiry into the fire incident at Vijay Vallabh COVID care hospital.
Condoling the deaths, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the deceased’s family members and Rs 50,000 for those with severe injuries.
#WATCH | 13 people have died in a fire that broke out at #VijayVallabh COVID care hospital in #Virar, early morning today#HospitalFire #CovidCare pic.twitter.com/yNueVTm1tU
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) April 23, 2021
Chief Minister’s official statement said that the cause of the fire should be properly investigated. He also directed the administration to immediately inquire whether the fire safety measures were adequate and whether it was a private hospital.
#Maharashtra | 13 people have died in a fire that broke out at #VijayVallabh COVID care hospital in #Virar, early morning today pic.twitter.com/ZeHNwJTDaQ
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) April 23, 2021
The incident took place around 3:30 am on the second floor of the facility, the Corona Control Room, Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation informed. Three fire tenders of the Virar Fire Brigade reached the spot to douse the fire. It was extinguished by 5:20 am. Other COVID patients are being shifted to nearby hospitals.
#Maharashtra | 13 people have died after a fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (#ICU) around 3am today. 21 patients including those in critical condition have been shifted to another hospital: Dr. Dilip Shah, official, Vijay Vallabh COVID care hospital, #virar pic.twitter.com/FnS1BKNxRJ
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) April 23, 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan took to Twitter to offer their condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
The fire at a COVID-19 hospital in Virar is tragic. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 23, 2021
महाराष्ट्र के विरार में विजय बल्लभ अस्पताल के #ICU में आग लगने से अनेक लोगों की मौत की हृदय विदारक ख़बर से मन व्यथित है
ईश्वर दिवंगत की आत्माओं को शांति एवं परिजनों को यह आघात सहने की शक्ति प्रदान करें।
सभी घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं@PMOIndia
@CMOMaharashtra https://t.co/jRgJbZrVBd— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) April 23, 2021
Saddened by the loss of lives due to tragic fire at a Hospital in Palghar, Maharashtra. My condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 23, 2021
Also, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered an inquiry into the incident. This Tragic incident comes just days after 24 COVID-19 patients lost their lives after an oxygen tanker leaked outside Dr Zakir Hussain Hospital in Nashik, Maharashtra.
(With ANI Inputs)