Fire destroys 3 ambulances of Thane hospital

Mumbai: Four vehicles, including three ambulances, parked in the premises of the Thane civil hospital were destroyed in a fire on Sunday evening. Four fire engines were rushed to the spot and doused the blaze in 20 minutes. No casualties were reported.

The chief of the Regional Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation Santosh Kadam said that the fire broke out around 4.15 pm in one of the vehicles and it soon engulfed three ambulances and a jeep.

The fire extinguisher with ‘Next due on 8/9/17’ on it found at the spot.

He said the cause of the fire was being probed and added that ownership details of the vehicles could not be ascertained as they were destroyed. He said that the vehicles were parked near the ICU.

However, residents and relatives of the patients said that since last three years ambulances are lying in the premise of the hospital. A few children who regularly play cricket near the hospital tried to douse the fire initially. However, after they failed to control the fire, they called the fire brigade.

Residents also said that flames of the fire were huge. As precautionary measure around 10-15 patients were evacuated. The patients’ relatives also alleged that fire extinguishers of the hospital are outdated and were not working.