Massive fire at eye hospital for children, no casualties

New Delhi, June 5

A major fire broke out at a private eye hospital for children in southeast Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar area on Wednesday.

No one was injured in the incident, a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official said.

The police said it is suspected that a short circuit in an air conditioner on the ground floor of the two-storeyed building caused the fire.

Several videos of the hospital fire went viral on social media. One of the videos showed the hospital building engulfed in flames and thick plumes of smoke rising in the sky. The call regarding the fire at Eye7 Chaudhary Eye Centre on Ring Road was received at 11.30 am and 12 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Later, more fire tenders were pressed into service.

They said about seven staff members who were inside the hospital rushed out as soon as the fire broke out.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer SK Dua said a total of 20 fire tenders were deployed to douse the fire, which was controlled by 1.10 pm.

The raging flames spread to a cafeteria located on the third floor of an adjacent building but they were soon brought under control by firefighters, he said.

Another officer said three motorcycles parked behind the building were damaged in the fire. The officer said a cooling operation was conducted and the fire department also checked the building. All machines and furniture on both floors of the hospital were gutted, he said.

Fire officials said the building did not require a no-objection certificate as its height is below nine metres.