Sambalpur: The fire mishap at the Sadguru COVID-19 hospital in Cuttack has come as a rude wakeup call for the authorities. In the wake of this development, the Directorate of Fire Services said Monday that safety audits will be conducted in all COVID-19 facilities once every fortnight.
Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy during a visit to VIMSAR September 5 had announced that a COVID-19 hospital with 100 beds will be set up at the medical college and hospital. A couple of floors of a newly-constructed nine storeyed building were identified for the same. Out of the 100 beds, 15 will be for ICU patients.
However, locals pointed out the shortcomings of setting up a COVID-19 facility in the building. They said that the building doesn’t have proper approachable roads. In case of fire, it will be difficult for fire engines to approach the building. Also encroachments and presence of other constructions on different sides of the building also makes the location dangerous in case of fire.
The residents pointed out that the road approaching the building is so narrow that even an ambulance cannot go through.
“So how will the fire engines reach the building,” they asked. “We are surprised as to how a COVID-19 facility will operate out of such a building. In case of fire, it will spell doom for everyone,” they said.
PNN
