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Cuttack: The Orissa High Court Thursday directed the director general of state fire services to set up a fire sub-station on SCB Medical College and Hospital campus here immediately and take measures to do the same in the remaining two government teaching hospitals in the state.
The High Court also directed the executive engineer of General Electricity (GE) department to conduct an electricity audit at SCB and take measures to check the recurring fire mishaps due to electric short circuit. The executive engineer of GE department has been directed to submit a report on the electricity audit to the court within four weeks.
The hospital had recently witnessed three fire mishaps. Taking suo motu cognisance of the Tuesday’s fire incident at the cardiology department of SCB, the HC had ordered personal appearance of the fire services DG, the GED executive engineer, the hospital superintendent and its cardiology department head during the day.
At least 60 cardiac patients at government-run healthcare facility had a miraculous escape when a major fire broke out in its cardio-vascular department.
A division bench of the vacation court, comprising Justices Indrajit Mahanti and Sangam K Sahoo, also ordered the government hospitals of the state to put adequate fire safety and preventive measures in place as per the National Building Code of India-2005.
The HC also stressed on regular mock drill by the hospital staff to make them conversant with the operation and use of fire safety and preventive equipment.
