Mir Iqbal
SRINAGAR, Nov 6: Minister for Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din today admitted that no proper fire safety equipment was available in the Lal Ded Memorial Maternity hospital building that was damaged in fire last night.
After taking stocking of the situation in the hospital, the Minister said the cause of fire can be probably due to short circuit, adding that the building was constructed some 40 years back and at the time of its construction no proper fire fighting facilities were made available within the building.
He said: “Forensic team has collected samples to know the actual cause of fire.” Taj also said the internal probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause of fire. He said only rooftop of the building was gutted, while as hospital record, drug store and new furniture stored in the same building was safe.
The Government was mulling to dismantle the gutted building and for this purpose the building was thrice put on auction, but no bidder was willing to pay a huge amount of Rs 30 lakh. “Even after reducing the bidding price to Rs 17 lakh, no bidder turned up,” the minister said.
He said the department was going to demolish this building to construct a new modern type building at the same place.
Taj appreciated the role played by doctors, paramedics and other employees of the hospital for shifting the patients safely from the building, adding that it was due to the hard work of employees here to resume working of the hospital with 12 hours.
“Our employees and neighbors played a commendable to douse the fire, rescue patients safely and even doctors operated upon the patients while nurses took care of the pregnant patients and I can tell you their role was commendable,” he said.
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