UP: Fire breaks out at Kanpur hospital; all patients evacuated
A fire broke out at a government hospital in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday. There were no immediate reports of casualties and all patients were evacuated, authorities said. The fire had erupted at the LPS Institute of Cardiology, which is a part of the UP government-run Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College. The state government has ordered a probe into the incident.
Fire erupted in storeroom; hospital filled with smoke
Reportedly, the fire started in a storeroom, however, it did not spread to other parts of the hospital. At least seven fire tenders were rushed to the scene, Station House Officer (SHO) Swaroop Nagar Ashwani Pandey told Hindustan Times, adding that the entire hospital was filled with smoke. One patient, a 75-year-old Tej Chandra, died, however, authorities said he had died before the fire.
'Fire under control; 146 patients evacuated'
At least 146 patients were reportedly admitted at the LPS Institute of Cardiology when the fire erupted. Kanpur Police Commissioner Aseem Arun told NDTV, "The fire is under control. 146 patients were safely evacuated after the fire started. Nine patients are still in the ICU but they are medically safe and sound. No casualty has been reported from the fire brigade as of now."
CM takes cognizance of incident; orders probe
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognizance of the incident. He directed authorities to ensure immediate care to all evacuated patients. "He has asked for a report from the District Administration and directed that a high-level team of Principal Secretary Health Education and DG Fire should visit the site today and give its report immediately," the state government said in a statement.
