Major fire in Palakkad district hospital, patients evacuated

PALAKKAD: A major fire broke out in the district hospital Sunday early morning at 3 am. The fire broke out in the nurses' changing room and the area where medicines are stored. A major accident was averted as patients, including those in the nearby women's wards, were evacuated very quickly.

The patients and their bystanders panicked as the fire spread from the room and black smoke emanated. Majority of them were sleeping at the time of the accident. Many who woke up after hearing the noise were first not sure what was happening. The patients were evacuated hospital staff and the patients' bystanders. All the items in the rooms where the fire broke out have been burnt.

The medical ICU is adjacent to the room where the fire broke out and the surgical ICU is on the upper floor. As the smoke spread, patients were completely evacuated from the ICU and the ward. About 100 inpatients were evacuated from the ward.

The fire force arrived at soon as the fire broke out. The fire was completely extinguished within half an hour, so there were no other accidents. The initial conclusion is that a short circuit was the cause of the accident. Authorities said the fire has been completely doused off 3:30. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident. It is estimated that significant damage was caused as medicines and other items were burnt.