Bhubaneswar hospital fire: Prompt alert could’ve saved lives

The police arrested four officials of Sum Hospital on Tuesday for the fire that, as per official records, claimed lives of 20 people, even though other hospitals that took the injured in reported 22 deaths.

Preliminary investigation by the state health department revealed that delay by the hospital authorities in contacting the fire services department accounted for the deaths of 20 people.

"The fire mishap occurred at around 7.15 pm. However, the hospital authorities informed us at 7.40 pm. Had we been informed immediately, many lives could have been saved," said a fireman engaged in the rescue operation.

Bhubaneswar Commissioner of Police Y.B. Khurania said Sum Hospital superintendent Pusparaj Samanta Singhar, electrical maintenance officer Amulya Sahoo, fire security officer Santosh Das and electrical junior engineer Malaya Sahoo were arrested under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC.

Sources said the police was also contemplating to arrest some of the top brass of the hospital. Earlier, two separate FIRs were filed on Tuesday against the authorities of Sum Hospital at Khandagiri police station.

While the first FIR was lodged by the Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET), Orissa, the second FIR was filed by the Directorate of Fire Services (DFS), the latter of which prompted the police action.

Hospital flouted safety norms, says state monitor The Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET), Orissa, accused the Sum Hospital authorities of “wilful negligence, poor patient management and poor evacuation of patients”. The state medical agency alleged that the mishap occurred because the hospital flouted important safety norms.

Sum Hospital did not renew the validity of the fire safety certificate given by the Directorate of Fire Services. Sources said the certificate had expired on April 15.

The premier private hospital in Bhubaneswar also did not obtain necessary occupancy and fire safety certificates from other statutory government agencies as required under the National Building Code and Orissa Clinical Establishment (Control & Regulation) Act, 1990, the sources said.

Directorate of Fire Services has alleged that negligence by the hospital authorities is the reason behind the fire mishap.

Sum Hospital denied that there were lapses on their part.