The toll in Mumbai’s ESIS hospital fire mounted to eight on Tuesday, even as the Maharashtra Government orders an inquiry into the alleged negligence and lapses leading to the mishap.
While two more injured persons succumbed to burn wounds, the condition of at least 25 of the total 147 injured persons admitted to various hospitals in the city was described as "critical". Many of the injured persons were discharged from various hospital after treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a day-long visit to Maharashtra, extended his condolences to the families of those killed in the mishap and made anxious enquiries about those injuries in the mishap.
“I have discussed the incident with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. All help is being extended to the families of those killed and also to the persons injured in the mishap,” Modi said, while speaking at the Republic TV summit.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister JP Nadda spoke to Fadnavis while Labour & Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar rushed to Mumbai.
The Maharashtra government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the families of those killed, Rs 2 lakh to those seriously injured and Rs 1 lakh to those who suffered with minor injuries.
Till Monday night, six persons had been killed and 147 others injured late on Monday afternoon after a major fire broke out in the state government-runEmployees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Kamghar Hospital at Andheri (East) in north-west Mumbai.
The fire had been noticed at around 4 pm on Monday, near the operation theatre of the hospital located at Marol locality of Andheri (East). Before long, the fire spread to other floors stranding more 150 people in the fire-engulfed building.
As the fire spread in the building, a few patients panicked and jumped out of the fourth floor window. They suffered fractures.
However, within minutes of the fire being reported, at least 12 fire tenders, 15 water tankers and other specialised equipment arrived on the scene to battle with the blaze. The fire brigade used ladders to bring down those trapped in the third and fourth floors of the hospital building. The fire brigade personnel extinguished the blaze after battling for three hours.
Meanwhile, informed sources said that the hospital had failed a fire safety audit conducted a fortnight ago.
Taking cognizance of the lack of adequate fire safety measures at the hospital, chief minister Fadnavis ordered an inquiry into the circumstances leading to the mishap and fix responsibility for it.
Talking to media persons, Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar said: “Whether the fire audits were done or not and whether the systems were in place or not, will be investigated".