Ten bodies were found while seventy COVID-19 patients were evacuated and moved to safety after a huge midnight fire broke out at a hospital in a mall in Maharashtra’s Mumbai.
Twenty-two fire engines were rushed to Dreams Mall’s Sunrise Hospital last night when fire broke out at around 12:30 AM, reported NDTV. More than seventy Covid patients were admitted to the hospital at the time of the incident. Officials have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray sought “forgiveness” from the families of those who lost lives, adding that some of those who died “could not be saved because they were on ventilators”. The state also announced a compensation of 5 lakh rupees for the affected families.
The Chief Minister said the hospital was temporarily allowed to treat Covid patients in the midst of the fight against the pandemic. “This hospital was also allowed temporarily to treat coronavirus patients. The permission would have expired on 31 March,” he said.
Assuring action, Mr Thackeray said: “I want to assure you that whoever is at fault, they will be punished. Firefighters did a great job in rescuing people. However, some people who were on ventilators could not be rescued. I seek forgiveness from their families,” the Chief Minister added.
