While the recent serial deaths of patients at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics (Sishu Bhawan) here are still fresh in memory, the hospital is again in news for another wrong reason.
A major fire broke out at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Sishu Bhawan on Sunday, following which the patients were evacuated to safety.
The fire caused major damages to the equipments and other infrastructure of the NICU.
At least 20 neonatal patients admitted to the premier Government-run facility were shifted to other wards of the hospital.
Fire tenders were rushed to the spot and engaged to contain the fire. However, a newborn child sustained minor burns in the mishap, reports said.
Sources said the fire broke out from an electric warmer in the newborn ward, which was housing 20 patients, three of whom under life supporting systems, at the time of the mishap.
Cuttack district Collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra ordered a probe by a technical committee to investigate the incident and submit its report within seven days. The committee comprises four officials.
later in the day, Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak visited the hospital to take stock of the situation.
It may be recalled that a minor boy was killed in a major fire that broke out at the third floor of the new building of the Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Research Centre (AHRCRC) here on October 16.
