Contrary to an initial statement made by the Sishu Bhawan authorities that the in-house fire control measures were put into use to douse the fire immediately in the paediatric hospital on Sunday, the technical committee entrusted to probe into the mishap is, however, unwilling to accept it.
“Had the in-house measures been put into use immediately, the flame would have been brought under control within a minute limiting the damage it caused,” said State Chief Fire Officer Sukant Sethy. He added that the hospital staffs are not trained properly to handle the fire extinguishers installed and how to react at the time of an urgent situation.
It was alleged that the staffs of the newborn ward, which was completely gutted, rushed out of the ward in panic seeing the fire without bothering to douse the flame or making provisions to shift the infant patients safely.
Similarly, the electrical engineers have questioned the use of poor-quality electric bulbs of high wattage as warmers for the newborn babies. “Although the electrical wirings in the hospital seem to be flawless, poor quality use of materials is believed to have caused the mishap,” said R&B Executive Engineer Subash Acharya. Hospital Superintendent Saroj Satpathy, however, refused to comment on the controversy, saying he would wait for the final findings and report of the technical committee.
The fire broke out in the newborn ward of the paediatric hospital on Sunday morning in which a newborn sustained burn injuries. The district Collector has ordered the probe by the technical committee asking it to submit its report in seven days.