Bhubaneswar: Massive inferno at SUM Hospital, PM Modi steps in

Bhubaneswar (Odhisha) [India]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar and asked the Health Ministry to transfer injured to the AIIMS for aid. Around 14 people have been killed in the unfortunate incident and the death toll is expected to increase as several others have been critically injured. The Prime Minister took to Twitter and expressed his anguish. "Deeply anguished by the loss of lives in the hospital fire in Odisha. The tragedy is mind-numbing. My thoughts are with bereaved families," the Prime Minister said in a series of tweets. "Spoke to Minister @JPNadda & asked him to facilitate transfer of all those injured to AIIMS. Hope the injured recover quickly," he added. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that on the order's of the Prime Minister, they have fastened the relief work and are trying to transfer the injured patients and other patients to AIIMS and few other hospitals. "Our officers and party workers who are involved in the relief work have spoken to them, the atmosphere is chaotic there. We are shifting injured and patients in AIIMS and few other hospitals. The Prime Minister has directed me and J.P. Nadda ji to accelerate the relief work and provide the needed aid. I have spoken to the AIIMS director and are working on it. We are trying to pacify the situation there," Pradhan told ANI. A Local fire department official said that the fire tenders from Bhubaneswar and personnel were pressed to bring the flames under control. "Rescuing the patients and those present in the hospital is our priority. We are yet to assess the damage and ascertain the source of the fire," he said. Deputy Fire officer Bhubaneswar inferno Ramesh Chandra said that he got a call at 7:41 P.M. reporting fire at the hospital. And that him and his team safely evacuated patients. As many as 100 fire fighters have been deployed. Fourteen people were killed in the fire that swept the dialysis ward of the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar and engulfed the intensive care unit. At least five fire tenders, ten ambulances and as many PCR vans were rushed to the spot for the rescue operation. The fire was first spotted in the dialysis ward located on the second floor of the hospital and quickly spread to the ICU. (ANI)