In the midst of the distress that Tamil Nadu is going through after the demise of eleven people who were electrocuted to death in a temple procession in the Thanjavur district, the state has witnessed yet another mishap in the morning hours of Wednesday where a fire has broken out at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai. 

In a relief, no casualties were reported due to the fire and the patients were evacuated. According to reports, the fire accident was reported in the surgical ward located in the second tower block. The emergency services and evacuation team were rushed to the spot and began the efforts to extinguish the fire. Hours after the battle, the fire was brought under the control.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian, Health Secretary Radhakrishnan, Director-General of Police C Sylendra Babu, Chennai Mayor Priya Rajan had arrived at the hospital and taken stock of the situation. While dousing the fire, the authorities had ensured that no disruption is caused to the medical services at the hospital. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far and addressing the reporters, Ma Subramanian said that the fire started from a short circuit in a storage room for surgical and other items. 

He further said that the patients who were admitted to the nearby Neuro ward were evacuated immediately. He said, "The hospital workers had immediately shifted the patients to another block soon after the fire broke out. Three patients who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit were also rescued. Several fire rescue personnel have been deployed to bring the fire under control. We were told by the officials that there are no casualties or injuries to anyone." 

The officials had said that 33 patients were admitted inside the Neuro ward while three were in the ICU and all of them were rescued. Speaking to the reporters, J Radhakrishnan said, "All patients have been evacuated safely. The fire broke out in one of the older buildings, the new three blocks are safe from here. So far, no report of casualties or injuries has been reported." He added that the things are under control and that the authorities will carry out a thorough sanitisation of the area. 

All patients have been evacuated safely. The fire broke out in one of the older buildings, the new three blocks are safe from fire. So far no report of casualties or injuries have been reported: Principal Secretary-Health, Dr J Radhakrishnan pic.twitter.com/al6f1Z29R9

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2022