Fire at hospital in Ahmedabad; 125 patients evacuated, no casualty

AHMEDABAD — A fire broke out in the basement of a 10-storey hospital building in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city on Sunday causing thick smoke in the premises, following which around 125 patients were evacuated as a precautionary measure, officials said.

There was no report of any casualty in the blaze which erupted at around 4.30 am in Rajasthan Hospital, located in the city’s Sahibaug are, they said.

A four-wheeler parked in the basement of the facility was partially damaged, a fire official said.

Due to the renovation work underway at the hospital, several items stored in the basement caught fire and caused massive smoke, the official said.

It took about eight hours to control the blaze because of the massive smoke in two basements of the building and difficulties faced by the fire fighters in entering one of the basements, he said.

The hospital is run by a charitable trust.

The fire broke out at around 4.30 am in the basement of Rajasthan Hospital, inspector M D Champavat from Sahibaug police station said, adding that heavy smoke emanated from the basement of the medical facility.

“Nearly 125 patients were evacuated and shifted to different hospitals as a precautionary measure,” he said.

The blaze erupted in the second basement of the 10-storey Rajasthan Hospital and a call was received at around 4.30 am, deputy chief fire officer Jayesh Khadia said.

Due to the ongoing renovation of the hospital, several items stored in the basement caught fire and caused massive smoke. Around two dozen fire fighting vehicles were rushed to the spot, he said.

“It took nearly eight hours to control the fire because of massive smoke and difficulties in getting entry to the affected areas. We managed to enter the first basement after ventilating smoke mechanically, but faced massive difficulties in entering the second basement,” Khadia said.

No casualty was reported, he said.

The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.