Angul: The district headquarters hospital authorities here Saturday sent 81 fire extinguishers to Bhubaneswar for refilling following a fire-safety preparedness check that showed that a number of cylinders installed in the hospital premises were not up to mark.
The check revealed that the gas pressure in many of the cylinders was lower than the recommended level and a number of installed cylinders were well past their expiry date.
Based on the findings of the check, 81 of these fire extinguishers have been sent to be refilled and their powder restocked. This process will be completed within a week by a private supplier in Bhubaneswar.
It may be mentioned there that the check was initiated after Odia daily ‘Dharitri’ published a news item on the firefighting equipment at the DHH.
That said, five of such cylinders that have expired can still be seen hanging on the walls of Obstetrics and Gynaecology ward, giving rise to resentment among patients and their attendants alike.
When contacted, DHH manager Debashis Das said,” The five storey building that houses Obstetrics and Gynaecology ward is under R&B department. We are yet to know who takes decisions on the firefighting systems of the ward. We will check the equipment in the building and if required, the R&B department will be intimated about the issue.”
PNN
