DMET, Fire Services Lodge FIRs Against Sum Hospital

Bhubaneswar: Taking cognisance of the Sum Hospital major fire mishap on Monday evening in which 20 persons lost lives and several others were critically ill, the Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) and State Fire Services on Tuesday lodged separate FIRs against the management of the Institute of Medical Science and SUM Hospital accusing it of willful negligence and not obeying fire safety norms.

DMET in its FIR lodged with the Khandagiri Police Station has mentioned “As there were no effective and reliable fire fighting and fire controlling measures, the fire that originated in the Dialysis Unit of the hospital on October 17 night at about 7 pm, rapidly spread to other areas including the intensive care unit (ICU) affecting critical patients admitted therein as well as endangering the staff and the attendants of the patients there.”

It has also been accused that the hospital did not have a proper evacuation plan or disaster response procedure in place due to which evacuation of the patients and others were delayed by which several persons were affected and some succumbed to asphyxia due to smoke inhalation and oxygen deprivation.

“The loss of lives of 20 persons and several others critically ill has been caused due to the willful negligence of the management of the Institute of Medical Science and SUM Hospital,” the DMET FIR complains and demands legal action against the management.

The Fire Services Department also in its FIR has mentioned non compliance of the standard fire fighting procedure despite having asked to do so since 2013.

On Tuesday, Binay Behera, DG, Fire Services made a review of the situation with his officials and also visited the SUM Hospital to investigate. Later on the day, he also submitted report to the State Government.

Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi also on the day reviewed the situation at the State Secretariat.

Besides the DMET and Fire Services, the Youth wing of Odisha Congress also filed an FIR against the owner of the hospital and demanded his immediate arrest.

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