Seven patients faint as short circuit causes fire in Civil hospital

Dr Kumar said that until wards were repaired no patients will be able to be treated in neurosurgery, eye diseases.

KARACHI:

A fire broke out on the ground floor of the neurosurgery and eye diseases wards in Sindh Services Hospital on Friday, rendering seven patients unconscious from the smoke.                     

The fire broke out around 1pm and two fire tenders immediately reached the spot. It took one of them about 25 minutes to douse the fire. Fortunately, the flames were small as they were caused by an electrical short circuiting in the boards beneath the staircase, according to the fire department.  “Oil was lying there and this was what caused the smoke,” said one of the firemen.

No injuries were reported. Chanesar, Abdul Hameed, Maula Bux, Ali, Pervaiz Ahmed, Adnan and Inam Bux were taken to the hospital’s emergency ward because of smoke inhalation.

Sindh Minister for Health Dr Sagheer Ahmed took notice of the incident and ordered the health secretary, Dr Suresh Kumar, and Civil hospital’s medical superintendent, Prof. Saeed Quraishy, to investigate within two days.

He directed them to transfer the patients of the two affected wards to different wards and provide them with proper treatment.

Hence, Dr Kumar and Prof Quraishy reached the site of the fire. They announced that the patients had been moved to the emergency and no serious damage was caused.

However, Dr Kumar announced that until the wards were repaired no patients will be able to be treated in neurosurgery and eye diseases. He sent a letter to Jinnah and Abbashi Shaheed hospitals to request them to accommodate the flow of patients.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2012.