Fire Safety Lapses Put Thousands At Risk In Major Hospitals In Bhopal

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A fire at Deepshikha Hospital has exposed critical shortcomings in fire safety compliance within major healthcare facilities of the city. The blaze occurred around 10.15 pm on Friday in a room on the fourth floor, with smoke rapidly spreading throughout the structure. At the time, approximately twenty patients, including those in labor, were present.

Due to the inadequate firefighting resources, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation's (BMC) fire department was compelled to deploy a fire tender to contain the inferno. Despite possessing a Fire NOC, the hospital's fire safety audit remained unrefreshed, indicating no recent confirmation of critical equipment's functionality such as extinguishers, hydrants, alarms, sprinklers, and emergency exits.

The corporation is scrutinizing the hospital's records, potentially holding management accountable for oversights, and will also recover firefighting expenses estimated between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. The BMC's fire department and police are investigating the Deepshikha Hospital fire, with a short circuit suspected as the initial trigger.

The incident has also triggered a broader evaluation of fire safety measures at other prominent hospitals in Bhopal, such as JP Hospital and Gandhi Medical College, which lack Fire NOCs. With these institutions handling thousands of patients and visitors daily, the absence or lack of renewal of fire safety clearances raises apprehensions about emergency readiness and the capacity to evacuate patients securely during an extensive fire.

Additionally, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation's Assistant Accountant is under suspension for irregularities involving POS machines.