Fire breaks out at emergency ward of RG Kar, none injured

Kolkata: Fire broke out at the emergency ward of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Thursday afternoon, triggering panic among the patients.

As many as 40 patients were removed from the observation ward in the casualty block of the hospital, immediately after the incident. Five fire tenders were pressed into action to douse the flames. A disaster management team also rushed to the spot to take control of the situation.

According to the hospital sources, the fire might have been triggered from electrical sparks caused during welding of grilles outside the observation ward. Some of the staff members of the hospital spotted smoke billowing out of the emergency building at around 3 pm. The area was soon covered in black smoke, sparking fear among the patients and their family members.

The hospital staff, however, swung into action swiftly and took around 40 patients out of the observation ward of the casualty block. The firefighters brought the situation under control within a short span of time. The patients were later shifted back to the casualty block.

According to the preliminary investigation, the fire officials suspect that an electrical spark might have caused the fire. No major damages have been reported so far in the incident.