Andheri Hospital Fire: Fadnavis order probe into blaze that left 8 dead

 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Tuesday ordered a probe into the fire at the ESIC Kamgar Hospital in suburban Mumbai in which eight people were killed.

The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said Fadnavis spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister J P Nadda in connection with the mishap.

"Fadnavis has ordered an enquiry into the fire incident at the ESIC Hospital," the CMO said in a tweet.

"The chief minister expressed grief over the loss of lives and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and assured that all required assistance will be given," it added.

Eight people, including a six-month-old girl, were killed in the blaze in the government hospital Monday.

Besides, 176 injured people, including three firemen, were injured and undergoing treatment in different hospitals across the city.

The 325-bed ESIC (Employees State Insurance Scheme) Kamgar Hospital at Marol in suburban Andheri was built in 1970s.

Nearly 375 people, including patients and visitors, were in the five-floor hospital during visiting hours when fire and smoke were reported on its fourth floor around 4.03 pm on Monday. The fire was extinguished at 7.35 pm. The hospital authorities have shut down the facility till further notice.

The hospital did not have the final no-objection certificate (NOC) for fire compliance.

A fire official said the blaze appeared to have erupted after a short-circuit near the rubber rolls stored on the ground floor.