Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar announced Rs 10 lakh each as compensation for the next of the kin of those who died in the fire at ESIC Kamgar hospital in Andheri.
The death toll in the blaze at a Mumbai hospital Tuesday rose to eight, with two more persons succumbing to injuries overnight, civic officials said.
At least eight people, including a 5-month-old baby girl, died and 157 were injured after a massive fire swept through the state government-run Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital at Andheri East on Monday.
"Altogether 176 persons, including three firemen, are now being treated in city hospitals," an official from Disaster Management Unit of BMC said.
Among the admitted, over 25 are critical while 26 have been discharged after primary treatment, " he said.
Rs 10 lakh compensation
Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar on Monday announced Rs 10 lakh each as compensation for the next of the kin of those who died in the massive fire at the state-run ESIC Kamgar hospital in Andheri East, Mumbai.
"Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour & Employment, Santosh Kumar Gangwar announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the accident, Rs 2 lakh each for those who have serious injuries and Rs 1 lakh each for those with minor injuries," a labour ministry statement said.
A total of 147 people, including patients and visitors, were rescued after the fire broke out at the hospital at Marol in suburban Andheri, said an official of the Disaster Management Cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). According to the fire brigade, more than 200 people were inside the hospital at the time.
Cause of fire being ascertained
While the exact cause of the blaze was being ascertained, the preliminary report said that building material, kept at the ground floor of the hospital for renovation work caught fire, the ministry said in the statement.
It further said that five persons were reported to have died due to suffocation in the accident while several admitted patients and their attendants were rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals with the help of firefighters, doctors and staff of the hospital.
Deputy Medical Superintendent, Reshma Verma was also taken to a nearby hospital as she fainted due to suffocation while rescuing the admitted patients, the statement said, adding that a detailed report was awaited.
The labour minister held a meeting with officials of his ministry and ESIC here and directed them to extend all the possible help to the kin of the victims. A team of doctors from ESIC, Delhi was rushed to Mumbai for this purpose, the statement said.
Gangwar along with Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment and Director General, ESIC would be visiting the hospital on Tuesday to oversee relief work and meet the victims and their families.
Hospital had provisional NOC from fire department
Prabhat Rahangdale, chief fire officer of the Mumbai Fire Brigade, said many of those trapped were rescued from a common terrace of an under-construction new block of the hospital building. The fire brigade pressed 10 fire engines, one rescue van, and 19 ambulances to the scene. Rahangdale added that the fire was brought under control by 7.20 pm and completely put off by 8 pm.
Fire brigade officials said that for over 40 years, the old hospital building was being run with a provisional fire no-objection certificate and was still awaiting a final NOC from the fire department.
Milind Ogale, deputy fire officer from MIDC, said, "We had visited the under-construction building and we found some flaws that we asked them to rectify. Also, some changes were sought in the old building. They were given provisional NOC and they are carrying out necessary changes," said Ogale. He added that it was an accident.
Prashant Sapkale, assistant commissioner of K East ward said that the area falls under the MIDC and all permissions from commencement certificate to fire NOC is given by the MIDC authority.
Fire and smoke injures patients, visitors
According to the doctors, most of the injured patients suffered due to smoke. Speaking about the medical condition of the patients admitted, Dr Rajesh Sukhdeve, medical superintendent of Cooper Hospital, said, "One of the patients have a broken spinal cord as he jumped off the building to save his life. One fireman is in critical condition. Other patients have been admitted to the general ward."
Hospital staff, locals serve as messiah
Hospital staff and locals showed their presence of mind and helped the fire brigade to rescue people trapped in the accident spot .
SA Shaikh, a fire brigade official from Goregaon said that they received a lot of help from the staff and locals in locating people trapped in the hospital building. He added that the hospital's staff had effective knowledge about the building and guided the rescue team in their operations.
"Most of the employees were done with their shift when the fire icident happened. Once they got to know, they came back to help," Shaikh said. Shaikh further said that the employees carried patients and trapped victims on their shoulders to a window from where the firemen took lead and rescued them.
Sudhir Jadhav, a local, who was also aware of the hospital's layout, used his mobile phone torch to locate people and carry them on his shoulders. "There was complete darkness. The place was full of smoke. It was difficult to see things at a metre's distance. We opened every door to check if anyone was trapped," Jadhav said. He added that the people suffered injury mostly due to the smoke.
OTHER HOSPITAL FIRES
October 3, 2018: Fire breaks out in the pharmacy & storeroom at the ground floor of the state-run Calcutta Medical College and Hospital building. Dead: 1
October 17, 2017: 45-year-old patient dies due to “suffocation” after a fire breaks out at a private hospital in Warangal city of Telangana. Over 400 people, including 190 patients, are rescued. Dead: 1
October 17, 2016: Suspected electric short circuit in the dialysis ward triggers massive blaze at Sum Hospital in Bhubaneswar. Dead: 22; injured: 12
December 9, 2011: Fire sweeps AMRI hospital in Dhakuria of south Kolkata. Dead: 93
(With PTI inputs)
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