The fire mishap at a Covid Centre in Vijayawada which killed 11 Covid patients is a wake-up call for hospitals in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana functioning without proper authorization and faulty fire safety measures.
As per anonymous sources and media reports, as many as 90 percent of the private hospitals in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad itself are functioning without an NOC (No Objection Certificate) and are treating covid cases. “Our inspections have revealed that 90 percent of hospitals have no NOCs and those having, deviated from the building plan. These include the hospitals treating COVID patients in twin cities. Though notices were issued to these hospitals before lockdown, only a few responded,” sources said.
The fire safety department looks into three aspects to issue an NOC, means of escape in case of a fire incident, setback space and fire safety equipment, duly following the Fire Safety Act, said an officer from the Regional Fire Office, Secunderabad.
When asked why no action has been taken, an officer from the GHMC explained that the department is engaged in Covid related activities since the outbreak of the pandemic. “A few inspections were conducted and hospitals were sealed. The defects involve repairs and this needs money. Many hospitals delay works for several reasons. Many hospitals have taken buildings on lease, which were not built in compliance with the rules. A few lack large staircase space while other have no setbacks,” the officer shared.
According to the department, government hospitals meet all the parameters of fire safety but fail to maintain the equipment properly.
Meanwhile, Investigation into the Swarna Palace Hotel mayhem revealed that the hotel did not get the NOC from the fire department to operate a Covid-19 facility. “Ramesh Hospital, Vijayawada, signed an MoU with Swarna Palace to operate a Covid-19 facility on payment basis. The hotel management and Ramesh Hospital knew there were electrical defects but they did not get them rectified as it involved spending a huge amount. Both the parties were very well aware that there was a risk of fire mishap but opened the Covid Care Centre in it,” regional Tahsildar said in his complaint. At the outset, the fault seems to lie with both the hotel management and government authorities who failed to run a check on the building before being converted as a Covid Centre.
According to Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department Director K Jayaram Naik, the alarm Bell didn’t ring at the time of the accident and there was a delay in opening the back door. ‘Investigation has been initiated and there will be action on hotel management after it’ he said.
The fire, which broke out at 4.30 am on the first floor of the multi-storied hotel, quickly spread to the second floor too.
“Most patients died due to asphyxia, while few others have suffered burns. The casualties stand at 10, others have been shifted out,” said the AP state DGP, Damodar Gautam Sawang.
