Kanpur: Fire breaks out in govt hospital, no casualty

Kanpur: Over 140 patients were rescued after a fire broke out at the state-run LPS Institute of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery in Swaroop Nagar here on Sunday morning.

According to hospital officials, two high-risk patients died in the morning but the deaths were "not caused by the fire".

"Around 7.30 am, smoke was seen billowing out of a storeroom on the ground floor. The fire was subsequently doused and the patients were shifted to another building. All the patients are safe," Dr Vinay Krishna, Director of the hospital, said.

The deceased patients were Rasoolan Bi (80), a resident of Ghatampur who was suffering from acute respiratory problems, and Tek Chand of Hamirpur, who was put on ventilator support.

"The fire broke out in a storeroom. Things are under control now and officers are on the ground. There are no casualties. Over 140 patients were evacuated," Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the incident and directed that the evacuated patients be provided immediate care. He also sought a report from the district administration, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement issued in Lucknow.

The chief minister has directed a high-level team, headed by the principal secretary, health education and also comprising the director general of fire services and the Kanpur divisional commissioner, to visit the site and give its report immediately, the statement said.