As many as 11 Covid-19 patients admitted in the Covid care facility in Vijayawada were killed in a deadly fire reported early Sunday morning. As per sources, 20 more patients sustained injuries in the accident. About 50 Covid-19 patients were being treated at the time of the incident. Electric short circuit is said to be the cause of fire according to preliminary reports.
Hours later, an FIR was filed by the Governorpet police following a complaint from the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) of Vijayawada Central.
Swarna Palace hotel situated on Eluru Road was taken on lease by Ramesh Hospital to treat Covid-19 patients. About 50 patients were admitted at Swarna Palace in the last two weeks by the hospital. About 10 para medical staff members were assisting them at the time of the incident. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation due to smoke, according to officials.
According to the Vijayawada city police commissioner B Srinivasulu, the fire first broke out on the ground floor near the reception area and rapidly spread to the first floor. Images captured by the bystanders also showed huge fire at the reception area.
The official said that they have rescued about 30 people and the fire was brought under control within 25 minutes. He said the control room received an SOS at around 5:15am. The fire and quick response teams rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation, he said. The patients were brought out using ladders as the stair cases were engulfed in fire and there was no external fire exit in the building.
Fire personnel broke open the windows to rescue the victims. The Covid-19 patients were rushed to other hospitals in special ambulances.
The chief minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy expressed shock over the incident and directed the officials to extend all possible help to the victims. He ordered a probe into the incident and asked the officials to submit a report. Krishna district collector A Md Imtiaz and endowments minister Vellampalli Srinivas visited the spot and took stock of the rescue operation.
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Nara Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep anguish and extended his condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones.
“The management of Swarna Palace Hotel continued to operate in spite of many reservations over the building being used as a treatment centre for Covid patient,” said a reliable source in Vijayawada.
According to the complaint, Ramesh Hospital Vijayawada signed an MoU with Swarna Palace Hotel to operate a COVID-19 facility on paid basis. “It appears that the management of the hotel and Ramesh Hospital were aware that there are electrical defects in the lodge, and as rectification of defects involved a huge amount, they avoided repairing it. Knowing that the fact that if the defects were not rectified, there is a possibility of an accident, they opened the COVID facility center,” sources said.
Meanwhile, the whereabouts of four patients undergoing treatment is not known yet. The family members of the missing patients are worried and have begun searching for them in the hospital.
A few patients reportedly jumped from the first floor of the building to escape from the fire. Tahsildar P Jayasri filed a complaint naming the management of Ramesh Hospital and Hotel Swarna Palace as suspected and accused parties.
Police have booked a criminal case against the management of Dr. Ramesh Hospital and Swarna Palace. This is the second fire incident to have occurred in a COVID care center within a span of two weeks. Vijayawada Police have registered a case under 304 (II), 308 r/w 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Investigation is underway.
