Fire breaks out at Sealdah ESI hospital, 1 person dies; 80 patients shifted

A devastating fire broke out early this morning at Sealdah ESI Hospital, triggering panic among patients and staff. The fire reportedly began around 5:30 AM, engulfing a portion of the hospital in heavy black smoke. Firefighters responded quickly, with 10 fire engines arriving to battle the blaze.

Fire Minister Sujit Bose rushed to the hospital upon receiving the news. He confirmed that the fire spread rapidly, filling the hospital with thick smoke and causing many patients to experience severe discomfort due to suffocation. The minister stated that the fire was controlled after several hours of effort by the fire brigade.

At the time of the incident, 80 patients were receiving treatment at the hospital. According to Minister Bose, emergency arrangements were swiftly made to evacuate the patients to safety. Unfortunately, one patient became critical due to smoke inhalation and was been moved to the hospital's critical care unit. Identified as Uttam Vardhan, the patient succumbed later. Additionally, two patients were transferred to the Maniktala ESI Hospital for further treatment.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire started in the hospital’s High Dependency Unit (HDU) due to an electrical fault. The flames spread quickly, affecting multiple sections of the hospital, which led to widespread panic among staff and patients.