Tragedy averted as fire breaks out at Dera Bassi hospital

Our Correspondent

Dera Bassi, May 28

Panic gripped patients as well the paramedical staff here after a fire broke out in an electricity panel room of the Civil Hospital here on Monday morning. 

Patients as well as attendants were rushed outside the hospital building as they felt suffocation due to smoke caused by the fire, said sources.

The incident took place in the afternoon when one of the attendants noticed smoke and raised the alarm. 

A short circuit is suspected to be the cause of the fire as it was an electrical panel that had caught the fire. The room  where the fire broke out is situated on the ground floor of the building.

No loss of life was reported as the blaze was brought under control within few minutes. Normalcy returned at the hospital after a half an hour of the incident.

Fire tender fails to enter hospital

• A fire tender that was rushed to the hospital could not enter the main gate of the hospital because of low-hanging wires. 
• The hospital staff acted on time and used fire extinguishers available at the infirmary to douse the flames.
• Sangeeta Jain, SMO, Dera Bassi said they had lodged several complaints with the Electricity Department to check the cable fittings, but to no avail.