Lack of adequate measures at Shishu Hospital caused delay in dousing fire: Fire Service
The Shishu Hospital authorities have formed a five-member probe committee to investigate the fire incident.
Lack of an adequate fire fighting system at the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute in Agargaon caused the delay in dousing the fire that broke out at the hospital earlier on Friday (19 April), fire service officials said.
The hospital didn't have any fire hydrants or sufficient water reserves, said Mohammad Fakhruddin, senior station officer of Mohammadpur Fire Station.
"It is such a big hospital. But there were no fire fighting systems in place except fire extinguishers," he added.
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The fire originated in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) of the hospital around 1:35pm and the fire service was informed around 1:47pm, said Fire Service and Civil Defence sources.
Five units of the fire service brought the fire under control within 40 minutes.
No casualties were reported in the incident.
According to Fakhruddin, "We had to get water from the adjacent National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital as the Shishu Hospital didn't have sufficient water reserves. There weren't adequate fire hydrants either," said the fire service official.
"The fire was brought under control at 2:28pm. We didn't find any victims. The hospital authorities moved everyone from the ICU swiftly," he added.
Fire service officials suspect that the fire originated from an air conditioner in the cardiac intensive care unit.
"We can be sure about the reason after a proper investigation," said Fakhruddin.
Speaking about the damage caused by the fire, he said some hospital equipment suffered heavy damage while some are still in good condition.
"Dousing the fire took some time as the oxygen connection in the ICU room got burnt in the fire. Later, the fire service closed the oxygen line," said Fakhruddin.
Probe committee formed
Meanwhile, the hospital authorities have formed a five-member committee to investigate the incident.
The committee has been asked to submit a report within three days, Professor Dr Jahangir Alam, director of the hospital, said in a press briefing in the afternoon.
The committee will be led by the hospital's CICU department head. Other members include a maintenance engineer, an electrical engineer, a ward master, a nurse, and a fire service representative.
Dr Jahangir said, "Now our main focus is to resume service. If our technical team, electronic engineers, the DPDC, and the Fire Service give us the nod after checking the building, we can start working from the ground floor."
"Work has started. However, I cannot say anything specific without the decision of the investigation committee.
