Maninagar Covid hospital averts fire after oxygen supply valve malfunctions

A COVID-19 designated private hospital, Little Flower Hospital in Maninagar averted a potential fire on Wednesday after the valve of oxygen supply line malfunctioned.

Additional chief fire officer Rajesh Bhatt at Ahmedabad Fire Emergency Services (AFES) under Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) said, “A leakage was detected in the oxygen valve assembly and because of the alertness of the staff, it was nearly immediately resolved. A fire tender was sent at the spot but was not required otherwise.”

According to the deputy municipal commissioner with AMC Mukesh Gadhvi, “The (primary) valve of oxygen supply malfunctioned which was controlled by the secondary master (valve) and oxygen supply was normal. All wards and patients are being attended as usual…”

Hospital authorities remained unavailable for comment.

AMC issued a statement that at around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, a leakage in the oxygen supply pipeline led to a spark which was immediately detected by hospital staff who were trained in fire safety and thus no incident occurred at the hospital. “The hospital has requisite fire NoC and all fire safety equipment is available. The hospital authorities had notified the fire department following which the fire department conducted an inspection at the site,” said AMC. Currently 26 patients are undergoing treatment for COVID19 in the hospital, according to the AMC.

As per a fire department official, given the combustion-aiding property of gaseous oxygen, had the malfunction not been detected on time, it may have led to a serious event, “with a fire continuing for as long as oxygen supply would not have been exhausted.”