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10 Killed in Mumbai's Covid-19 Centre Fire, Hospital Clarifies After Mayor's Surprise Over Facility in Mall

26-03-2021

Two people were killed after a massive fire broke out at a coronavirus hospital in Maharashtra’s Bhandup on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. Over 70 patients of Sunrise hospital, including those affected with Covid-19, have been shifted to another medical centre. “Cause of fire is yet to be ascertained. I’ve seen a hospital in a mall for the first time. Action will be taken,” said Mumbai Mayor. Rescue operation is underway. “There was a fire in first floor of Dreams Mall, Bhandup and the smoke reached up to the hospital located at the top floor. All fire alarms began beeping and hence all patients were safely evacuated,” Sunrise Hospital said in a statement. Clarifying on opening a hospital in a mall, the statement read, “This hospital was started in exceptional circumstances of coronavirus pandemic last year and has helped in saving many patients from Covid deaths. It is functioning with all due compliances like fire licence, nursing home licence etc. The hospital staff did a fantastic job in safely evacuating patients on whee chairs and beds to the refuge areas and by following the fire drills.” Meanwhile, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said he would file a complaint of criminal negligence against the BMC in connection with the fire at a hospital in a city mall, in which two COVID-19 patients died and 70 others were evacuated. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) also sought to know how a COVID-19 centre was given permission to operate in a mall. The blaze erupted at the Sunrise Hospital in the Dreams Mall building in Bhandup area shortly after Thursday midnight. The hospital is situated on the top floor of the four-storeyed mall building and 76 patients, most of them being treated for COVID-19, were there when the fire broke out, police said. Somaiya said the mall is an “epitome of corruption”. “I am going to file a complaint of criminal negligence against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). There have been several complaints against this mall, but no action was taken against its owners,” he alleged. MNS general secretary Sandeep Deshpande claimed that the mall has not obtained occupancy certificate (OC) so far and its fire audit has not been completed so far. “The mall was operational without the OC by the BMC.The fire audit could not be completed as the fire system in place there was unsatisfactory. That is why, the fire brigade did not issue its a clearance certificate to it,” he told reporters. “I still wonder why this mall was used in setting up a COVID-19 centre. The local ward officer should be questioned and probed for allowing treatment of coronavirus patients at the mall,” he said. The Shiv Sena rules the Mumbai civic body.