Created by Jim Michael
Last edited September 29, 2021
Bharuch hospital fire
Date1 May 2021 (2021-05-01)
Time1 AM (IST)
LocationWelfare Hospital, Bharuch, Gujarat, India
TypeFire
CauseShort circuit[1] (under investigation)
Deaths18

On 1 May 2021, a fire in a hospital in Bharuch, Gujarat, India, killed at least 16 COVID-19 patients and 2 nurses.[2]

Background

India is badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and facing a second wave of the pandemic. On 23 April 2021, 13 COVID-19 patients in a hospital in Virar, Maharashtra, died after a fire broke out at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital.[3] Earlier in April 2021, at least 24 COVID patients in a hospital in Nashik, Maharashtra, died when oxygen supplies ran out due to a leaking tank.[4]

Incident

In the early hours of 1 May 2021, at 1 AM, a fire broke out in the COVID-19 ward of Bharuch Welfare Hospital, a COVID-19 designated hospital, located around 190 km from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.[5]

Aftermath

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi expressed his deep condolences by saying, Pained by the loss of lives due to a fire at a hospital in Bharuch.[6] The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani announced ex-gratia aid of 4 lakh (US$5,600) for kin of victims.[7]

See also

References

  1. Pachchigar, Jay (1 May 2021). "Eighteen dead as fire breaks out in Covid hospital in Gujarat's Bharuch". The Times of India.
  2. Gladstone, Rick; Sweeney, Billie; Zhong, Raymond (30 April 2021). "A deadly fire at a western India hospital tore through a Covid ward". The New York Times.
  3. Jain, Akshita (23 April 2021). "Fire kills at least 13 Covid patients in hospital in western India". The Independent .
  4. Lockett, Jon (1 May 2021). "India Covid hospital fire kills 18 people in latest disaster as country's virus crisis spirals out of control". The Scottish Sun.
  5. "18 Covid Patients Dead In Fire At Gujarat Hospital: Report". NDTV. 1 May 2021.
  6. "PM Narendra Modi expresses pain at Bharuch hospital fire tragedy". The Times of India. 1 May 2021.
  7. "Gujarat CM announces ₹4 lakh ex gratia to Bharuch fire victims' kins". Hindustan Times. 1 May 2021.