Jhansi Each the state well being division and Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical Faculty, the place a late-night hearth in its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) killed 10 newborns, have claimed that the ward was outfitted with functioning hearth extinguishers that have been used to comprise the flames.
Firefighters work after a hearth broke out in a neonatal intensive care unit at Jhansi Medical Faculty hospital in Jhansi (AP)
Nonetheless, it has emerged that the extinguishers had labels on them indicating that their expiry was due in 2022. Additionally, the fireplace alarm didn’t activate throughout the incident. Eyewitnesses confirmed that the extinguishers have been ineffective when utilized by hospital employees.
Eyewitnesses and first responders, together with Kripal Singh Rajput, Kuldeep Sikarwar and Govind Das from Barauli Kharag in rural Jhansi, acknowledged {that a} ward boy, Pawan, used 4 hearth extinguishers in his try to put out the flames. “They [the extinguishers] did not discharge foam as they should have,” stated Kripal and Govind.
The hearth dousers had labels on them displaying that they have been refilled in 2019 and have been set to run out in 2022. That they had been provided by Peetambara Hearth Companies in Jhansi. The corporate’s workplace didn’t reply to this reporter’s calls.
Kuldeep acknowledged that the fireplace alarm put in above the doorway didn’t go off in any respect when the fireplace broke out.
Regardless of these considerations, the medical school and the well being division maintained that the firefighting tools was purposeful. The medical school’s chief medical officer, Dr. Satish Chandra insisted that the fireplace extinguishers have been refilled in June this 12 months. “Rudraksha Traders refilled the extinguishers in June, and we have receipts to prove it,” he added.
Deputy chief minister Brijesh Pathak additionally weighed in and acknowledged {that a} hearth security audit of the whole medical school was carried out in February this 12 months, and shortcomings that emerged throughout the train have been promptly addressed. Moreover, a mock drill to evaluate emergency preparedness was performed in June, he added.
When requested concerning the labels on the extinguishers, Pathak stated it was widespread for the refilling firms to not take away previous labels. “In this case, the old labels were not removed, and it is being looked into as to why this happened,” he stated. “The medical college had installed four fire extinguishers in the ward. They were refilled in June and were working. A ward boy emptied all of them [in his attempt to put out the flames],” he added.