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Bengal

Patient dies during fire at North Bengal Medical College

Darjeeling: A 53-year-old patient died while being shifted to safety during a fire in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in Siliguri on Friday morning.

Savera Khatun of Ruia, Islampur died when she was being shifted out of the CCU. A fire broke out at around 5:30 am from the ventilator unit attached to bed number 3 of the CCU at the NBMCH.

Panic was started with dense smoke engulfing the CCU. At the time of the fire, 5 out of 10 patients were on life support system.

The doctors, nurses and staff quickly evacuated the patients from the CCU and tried to douse the fire with the fire extinguishers. The fire brigade was called in as well. Two fire engines reached the spot at around 5:45 am. The fire was doused immediately.

The 9 other patients were shifted to a nearby private hospital. Superintendent Dr Kaushik Samaddar said: "The fire started from the ventilator unit of a bed. We have constituted a committee to look into the matter. They will conduct a probe and send in their report. We have also informed the PWD department to look into the problem so that the CCU can be made operational at the earliest."

The CCU, located on the first floor of the administrative block, was shut down after the incident.

"It is a very unfortunate incident. However timely intervention of the doctors, nurses and staff managed to avert more damages. The patients who have been shifted to the private facility are undergoing treatment there. The state government will bear the cost of treatment incurred by the 9 patients who have been shifted" stated Goutam Deb, state Tourism minister.

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