At least 11 Covid patients including were killed in a fire that broke out in an Ahmednagar hospital. The victims four males and seven females died in the fire, which broke out in an ICU unit of Ahmednagar district civil hospital on Saturday. The fire broke out due to a short circuit at around 10.30 am in the ICU unit in the hospital.
There were 20 COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at the ICU unit of the hospital. Many of them were senior citizens and some were on ventilator or oxygen support. Three to four others have been injured and are being treated. The other patients have been shifted to a Covid ward in another hospital, District Collector Rajendra Bhosle told reporters.
PM Modi consoled the demise of COVID patients in the fire.
CM Uddhav Thackeray has ordered a probe into the matter. Expressing grief over the tragedy, Thackeray directed the administration to ensure that those responsible for it get strict punishment. He has also announced a ₹ 5 lakh compensation for the families of those who died.
Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said the ICU had been newly built for the express purpose of treating coronavirus patients, and the fact that a fire had broken out was a “very serious issue”.
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