Fire breaks out at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital

Kolkata: A fire broke out at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH) triggering panic among patients and their relatives.

Some of the staff members of the hospital spotted smoke billowing out of RRM block of the hospital at around 5 pm on Thursday.

The matter was immediately informed to the fire brigade. Some of the staff members of the hospital tried to douse the flames initially but the fire soon spread to the other portion of the building.

The power supply to the building was immediately cut off by the hospital staff to check any major accident.

As the medicine ward is situated in this building, many patients were there in the ward at the time of the incident.

A large number of patients became panicked and started running around immediately after the fire had taken place.

Hospital staff members took part in the rescue operation and evacuated the patients from the building and shifted them to the main building of the hospital.

According to the hospital sources, two patients received injuries due to jostling while running to a safer place. They are under treatment.

It was learnt that there was some electrical work going on in the building when the incident took place.

Three fire tenders were pressed into action to douse the flames. Senior police officers also rushed to the spot and cordoned off the entire area.

The fire fighters restricted the fire from spreading further. They identified the source of the fire and brought it under control

within half an hour.

According to preliminary investigation, police and fire officials suspect that an electrical short circuit might have caused the fire.

The actual cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are yet to be ascertained.

Preliminary investigation suggests that some electronic gadgets have been damaged in the fire.