Fire Breaks Out at Private Hospital in Dehradun
Patients Safely Rescued and Shifted to Nearby Hospitals
Suspected Short Circuit Behind Incident; One Woman Dead, 16 Injured
Dehradun:
A major fire broke out at a private hospital located on the ISBT road near Rispana Bridge in Dehradun on Wednesday morning, triggering panic among patients and attendants. However, prompt and coordinated action by the district administration, police, fire service, SDRF, and health department ensured that the situation was brought under control in time, preventing a larger tragedy.
According to officials, the District Emergency Operations Center (DEOC) received information about the fire at Panacea Hospital at around 9:35 AM. Soon after the alert, joint rescue and relief teams comprising district administration officials, police personnel, fire service units, SDRF teams, and other emergency agencies were rushed to the spot.
Preliminary findings suggest that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit. At the time of the incident, a total of 14 patients were admitted to the hospital. Dense smoke spreading through the premises created panic among patients and their relatives, following which rescue teams immediately launched evacuation operations.
During the rescue operation, all seven persons trapped inside the hospital were safely evacuated. Critically ill patients were given priority and shifted through ambulances to nearby hospitals for continued treatment. All admitted patients were successfully relocated to other medical facilities.
Fire service personnel, SDRF teams, and district police jointly carried out extensive search and rescue operations inside the hospital premises and managed to completely control the fire after several hours of effort. As a precautionary measure, the administration evacuated the entire building and secured the surrounding area to ensure smooth rescue operations.
According to the preliminary report, a 66-year-old woman identified as Veervati died due to suffocation caused by smoke inhalation. Additionally, 16 people sustained injuries in the incident, including admitted patients, attendants, police personnel, and fire service staff involved in the rescue efforts. All injured individuals are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals.
Three personnel from the fire service and police department were also injured during the rescue operation and were provided immediate medical assistance. The health department is continuously monitoring the condition of all injured persons and ensuring necessary medical care.
The fire caused partial damage to sections of the hospital building, particularly the ceiling and interior infrastructure. The district administration has directed concerned departments to conduct a detailed investigation into the cause of the incident and assess the extent of the damage.
Authorities stated that all possible assistance is being extended to affected patients and their families.
