Series of Fire Incidents Raise Safety Concerns in Visakhapatnam Corporate Hospitals

A fire incident occurred on the sixth floor of a corporate hospital in Visakhapatnam during Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries as confirmed by the prompt response of the fire department officials who successfully extinguished the fire. Patients from the fifth and fourth floors were promptly evacuated to safer areas. The Vizag police chief, Shanka Brata Bagchi, quickly arrived at the scene to oversee the rescue operations.

Thick smoke emanated from the sixth floor, specifically the HR section, causing damage to files and computers within that area. The fire was brought under control by the fire service personnel utilizing a Bronto sky lift. Due to it being a Sunday, the occupancy in the HR section was minimal. Fire and police authorities are actively investigating the incident to determine the exact cause, with initial suspicions pointing towards an electric short-circuit in the AC unit.

This recent fire incident adds to a series of fire-related events in private hospitals in Vizag, raising concerns about the adherence to safety protocols by the management. Just a short while ago, another corporate hospital in Venkojipalem locality experienced a fire incident with no reported injuries or casualties. Additionally, an incident involving the explosion of UPS batteries at a multi-storey hospital’s parking lot and a nitrous oxide leakage at Indus Hospitals in Jagadamba Junction have occurred without any casualties.

Moreover, a minor fire broke out in a ward of King George Hospital in Vizag city. In response to these incidents, Vizag’s Commissioner of Police, Shanka Brata Bagchi, has urged hospital managements to conduct thorough fire safety audits and enforce strict safety protocols to mitigate risks effectively.