Concerned with the current situation of the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 and increasing number of short circuit leading to fire incidents, were taken in review by the Supreme Court.
On the 5th of May, the aftermath of the back-to-back fire incidents at COVID-19 hospitals, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs wrote to all chief secretaries of states and union territories. In the letter, the Ministry asked the states and UTs to have a plan of action to ensure that no fire incident occurs in any of the health facilities, particularly in Covid-dedicated facilities. Not of government facilities, private facilities should also be checked thoroughly, the ministry said.
Incidents of a short circuit are taking place, either because of the high temperature or the lack of maintenance or because of the high load on internal wirings within the facilities, the ministry wrote.
There should be a detailed review of all health facilities by the officials of the health, fire and power departments. The letter read, The States & UTs have also been requested to issue directions to the concerned officials at various levels, that health facility should be visited by field-level officials, to examine internal wirings and availability of functional safety equipment as per fire safety guidelines, within these facilities, and necessary remedial action be taken immediately in case any deficiencies are found.”
Emphasising that saving every life is a priority, the Centre said that a large number of Covid-19 cases are under treatment in Covid-dedicated facilities. Most of them are at ICU beds, oxygen-supported beds and are under ventilation. The Ministry said, “It is important to ensure that there is the uninterrupted power supply on a regular 24×7 basis, in all the hospitals and medical facilities.
In the past few days, many incidents of fire at hospitals leading ti deaths of COVID-19 patients were reported. On late Tuesday night, the 4th of May, a fire broke out at UttarakhandK Nursing Home in Delhi’s Vikaspuri. There were 26 patients and all of them were admitted to the hospital for Covid-19 treatment. No injuries were reported.
At least 15 Covid-19were killed in April after a fire broke out at the second floor ICU of Vijay Vallabh Hospital in Thane’s Virar.
