A 28-year-old housekeeping staff member died and several others were injured after a fire broke out at the Kosmos Hospital in east Delhi’s Anand Vihar on Saturday afternoon, officials said.
Police said a PCR call regarding the blaze was received around 12.20 pm. The flames, which originated in the server room on the ground floor of the multi-storey hospital on Vikas Marg, quickly spread smoke through the building.
According to the Delhi Fire Service, a call was received at 12.12 pm, and eight fire tenders were rushed to the scene.
“Delhi Fire Service got a call at 12.12 pm about fire at hospital. We reached the spot. The fire started from ground floor. The smoke kept emanating. Total 8–10 patients were there. Eleven persons were rescued, there was one casualty... A total of eight fire tenders has come,” said Fire Officer Ashok Jaiswal.
Eight patients were immediately evacuated and shifted to the nearby Pushpanjali Hospital as a precaution.
Seven others injured in the incident were admitted to the same hospital, while three sustained minor injuries, police and fire officials said.
Three hospital staff members — Amit, a housekeeping worker, and dialysis room employees Har Devi and Naresh — were rescued and taken to Pushpanjali Hospital. Doctors declared Amit dead, while the other two staffers and all evacuated patients were reported to be stable.
According to a preliminary inquiry, Amit had initially tried to escape to the rooftop but, for reasons still unclear, locked himself inside a bathroom on the third floor.
“We suspect he may have been overcome by smoke inhalation,” police said. His body has been sent for post-mortem examination.
Hospital owner R.K. Sachdeva said, “Short-circuit happened, there were eight patients. Our staff rescued. A cleaning staff rescued few people, but then he locked himself in bathroom. There was one casualty.”
Officials said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. “A detailed investigation has been initiated to ascertain lapses, if any, in fire safety compliance at the hospital,” a senior police officer stated.
Fire department officials confirmed that the blaze was brought under control and there was no further threat to the hospital or nearby buildings.
With inputs from PTI