Bhubaneswar: Four officials of SUM Hospital were arrested Tuesday by commissionerate police. The arrests took place a day the horrific blaze at the hospital in which at least 23 patients lost their lives.
Twin city Police Commissioner YB Khurania said a complaint in this regard was lodged with Khandagiri police by Central Range fire official Brajendu Bhusan Das.
“A case (518/16) in this regard was registered against medical superintendent of SUM Hospital Pushparaj Samantasinghar, former executive engineer, electrical maintenance of the hospital Amulya Sahu, hospital fire safety officer Santosh Das and hospital junior engineer, electrical maintenance (retd) Malaya Kumar Sahu under sections 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention),” he said.
“After the incident October 17, around 128 patients were shifted from SUM Hospital to several private and government hospitals. After the relief operation, we sealed the dialysis ward and ICU. A scientific team, inspector electrical safety and fire officials visited the hospital Tuesday morning for investigation. We have received a report in this regard from fire officials on the basis of which a case against four persons was registered,” he added.
Orissa Fire Services DG Binay Kumar Behera also carried out investigations at the hospital. He claimed there was an elaborate fire audit in SUM Hospital in 2013, and he and his team had come to review whether hospital authorities had followed the guidelines or not.
On being asked whether the hospital had been negligent, Behera said, “I will leave it at that.”
“We will conduct an objective enquiry and submit the report to the state government. I will arrive at a conclusion on hospital’s negligence, if any, only after enquiry. I will mention about the findings in the report,” he added.
The Fire Services DG said prima facie it seems the fire erupted at the hospital store room which is adjacent to the dialysis ward and ICU.
Fire officials said the blaze might have been due to a short circuit in an air conditioner duct.
The incident has raised questions on whether fire safety standards at SUM Hospital, where at least 23 patients died and several others were injured, were being followed or not.
Two separate complaints against SUM Hospital were lodged with Khandagiri police by Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET) Joint Director Umakanta Satpathy and Fire Officer (Central Circle) Das.
A couple of activists and political outfits also lodged complaints with Khandagiri police against SUM.
Orissa Human Rights Commission (OHRC) took suo-motu cognisance of the matter and has sought a report with three weeks from SUM authorities.
However, hospital authorities have maintained that they have been following all the fire safety norms and the tragedy was due to ‘bad luck’.
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