Jammu, Sep 19 (IANS) A fire broke out in the district hospital building in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch on Saturday, triggering panic among patients and attendants. However, swift action by hospital staff and fire and emergency services brought the blaze under control before it could spread to the entire complex, officials said.
Officials said smoke was noticed emanating from a section of the hospital, prompting staff members to immediately launch efforts to contain the fire while alerting the fire and emergency services as well as the police.
A fire tender was quickly rushed to the spot, helping prevent the flames from reaching nearby patient wards.
"The fire was accidental and spread rapidly initially. Hospital staff immediately attempted to control the blaze while informing the fire and emergency services and police. A fire tender was rushed to the hospital, and the fire was brought under control in time," officials said.
The affected room is located around 10 metres from the hospital wards. Officials said the alertness and prompt response of the hospital staff played a crucial role in preventing the fire from spreading to patient care areas.
"Our sanitation staff were also there for the daily work and were loading water for the normal day-to-day work. Suddenly, they saw the fire raging and immediately diverted the water to put out the fire," said Medical Superintendent Dr. Mohammad Shafiq.
Several patients were moved to safer locations by their attendants as a precautionary measure after thick smoke engulfed the affected section. The hospital's fire safety system was also activated during the incident.
Authorities said there was no major damage to the hospital infrastructure, although a few windows were burnt and some unused stock was damaged in the blaze. No injuries were reported.
A police team visited the site to assess the circumstances surrounding the incident and has launched an investigation.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, officials said.
--IANS
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