Fire at Lok Nayak Hospital ‘due to short circuit’; no casualties

Medical Director Dr Suresh Kumar said that patients were not moved from the emergency ward as it was safe, and only the attendants were asked to vacate the building.

According to Chief of Delhi Fire Services Atul Garg, they were informed about the blaze at around 10.18 pm on Monday, adding that 10 fire engines were immediately sent to the spot. The fire broke out due to a short circuit in the OPD main casualty ward. It took almost an hour to douse the blaze completely, said Garg.

“Fire tenders were provided a clear passage up to the emergency ward. The fire was soon extinguished. No one was injured,” said a senior police officer.
A senior doctor of Lok Nayak Hospital said that “a mishap was prevented, on time”.

While no patient was injured, non-availability of a ramp in the emergency block is a challenge when it comes to situations like these, the doctor said. “There is a ramp in the OPD building, and the buildings are inter-connected. However, in situations like these, it becomes more important to have a ramp in the emergency block, which houses the OPD ward and the casualty ward, for the safety of patients,” the doctor added.

Dr Kumar also said that the hospital employees are trained to handle such situations. Mock drills have been conducted in the past, with many staffers using fire extinguishers themselves to douse flames before fire tenders reach.

Prior to this, a fire erupted inside a seminar hall in Lok Nayak Hospital in 2021. More than 10 patients and hospital employees were evacuated and moved to other rooms by doctors and firefighters.