10 Covid patients housed in Vijayawada hotel die in fire
Short circuit in reception spread to first, second floors at 5 am
Ten persons undergoing treatment for Coronavirus at a hotel-turned-hospital in Vijayawada were killed in a fire mishap early on Sunday.
The fire broke out at 5 am at the reception in the centrally located Swarna Palace Hotel due to a short circuit. The flames spread rapidly to first and second floors, where the patients were housed. Ramesh Hospitals, a well-known institution, had taken the hotel on lease for treating Covid-19 patients and 30 patients were undergoing treatment at the time of the mishap. The thick smoke that filled the hotel following the fire is said to have asphyxiated 10 of them.
Besides, 10 hospital staff were also present to take care of the patients. Short circuit in an air conditioner near the reception on the ground floor caused the fire around 4.30 am. The fire started spreading to first and second floors, where the patients were undergoing treatment. The fire was noticed about half an hour later.
Many patients rushed out of their rooms and tried to climb down the stairs. They were unable to see anything due to thick smoke. Patients and hospital staff then rushed to windows and started screaming for help.
The fire department, NDRF and police personnel reached the spot around 5.15 am. There was no way they could enter the hotel using the stairs. They used the fire brigade ladders and climbed to the first and second floors, broke the window panes of the rooms and evacuated the patients.
District fire officer M. Srinivas Reddy said that the fire station was located within a kilometre from the hotel and they could respond within 10 minutes.
“There was no way to enter the hotel to rescue the people who were screaming from the windows, due to the flames and smoke,” he said.
THERE WAS no way the fire department and NDRF could could enter the hotel using the stairs. They used the fire brigade ladders and climbed to the first and second floors, broke the window panes of the rooms and evacuated the patients.
He and three other fire officers decided to climb to the first and second floors on ladders and started bringing down the people. He said ropes were used to harness the patients so that they could climb down safely.
After the blaze was brought under control, fire personnel entered the hotel and found 10 dead bodies lying on floors of the hotel-turned-hospital.
Ministers Velampalli Srinivas Rao and Mekathoti Sucharita said as per preliminary investigations, negligence of hospital management had caused the fire mishap. A case has been registered and two committees have been constituted to probe the incident.
Vijayawada police has registered cases against managements of Ramesh Hospitals and Swarna Palace Hotel for the mishap. Sucharita said negligence of the two managements had surfaced in the preliminary inquiry into the blaze. Cases had been registered on Sunday against the two managements.
Vijayawada Central mandal revenue officer P. Jaya Sri lodged a complaint at Governorpet police station alleging that managements of the hospital and the hotel had knowledge about electrical defects in the hotel. They avoided repairs as that would cost money.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy announced `50 lakh ex gratia to the family members of those killed.
Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan ordered the government to take immediate rescue measures to save the lives of injured people. The Chief Minister directed officials to take steps to provide better medical services to the survivors.