A fire broke out at a hospital in Gujarat’s Bharuch in the early hours on Saturday, killing at least 18 coronavirus patients. The heart-wrenching pictures of the tragedy showed remains of some patients roasted alive on stretchers and beds.
An official said, there were around 50 other patients at the four-storeyed Welfare Hospital when the fire broke out in the COVID-19 ward at 1 am and the locals and firefighters recused the patients.
“As per information at 6.30 am, the death toll in the tragedy stood at 18. Immediately after the fire, we had confirmation of 12 deaths,” a police official told PTI.
Bharuch SP Rajendrasinh Chudasama said, 12 patients who were admitted in the COVID-19 ward died dur to the fire and resultant smoke. However, it is not clear if the remaining six also died in the Welfare hospital or while being shifted to other hospitals.
The COVID-19 designated hospital is situated on the Bharuch-Jambusar highway, around 190 km from the state capital Ahmedabad and is being run by a trust. The official said the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
Though according to officials, within an hour the fire was controlled within an hour and around 50 patients were rescued by local as well as firefighters. They were shifted to nearby hospitals, he added.