Multiple-level probes into fire outbreak at Kozhikode MCH

Staff of the Government Medical College Hospital , Kozhikode making arrangements to set up a temporary casualty ward following the fire at the PMSSY block on Friday night.
| Photo Credit: K Ragesh

Multiple-level investigations are being held into the fire outbreak at the casualty section in the surgical super-speciality block of the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, on May 2 night.

Health Minister Veena George, who held a high-level official meeting at the medical college on Saturday afternoon, told the media later that the Kerala State Electrical Inspectorate, the electrical wing of the Public Works Department, and the Forensic wing of the Kerala police would inquire into the incident. A team of medical experts drawn from other government medical college hospitals would also conduct an investigation, she said.

The incident occurred on the ground floor of the PMSSY block of the hospital around 8 p.m. on May 2 after a reported short circuit led to an explosion in the battery unit of the UPS room attached to the MRI section in the casualty ward. Smoke engulfed the premises soon and there was chaos for over two hours as a large number of patients had to be evacuated from the premises.

Health Minister Veena George coming out of the PMSSY block of the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
K. Ragesh

Meanwhile, the death of five patients during the evacuation process sparked off a controversy when some of their family members and T. Siddique, MLA, claimed that they had lost their lives after inhaling smoke. The deceased were Surendran, 59, a native of Vadakara, Gopalan, 65, a native of West Hill in Kozhikode city, Gangadharan, 70, a native of Meppayyur, all in Kozhikode district, Naseera, 44, a native of Wayanad, and Ganga, 34, from West Bengal.

Following the allegations, the authorities decided to conduct post-mortem examination of the bodies on May 3. According to sources, the preliminary autopsy report of Gangadharan, Gopalan, and Surendran has ruled out the possibility of smoke entering their lungs. The three of them reportedly had existing critical health issues. Naseera had consumed poison and was also in a bad condition. The hospital authorities claimed that all the four had been on ventilator support and they were brought out of the building much before smoke engulfed the premises. Ganga was brought dead to the hospital.

The police, meanwhile, are also conducting an inquiry after registering cases under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (investigation of deaths under unnatural circumstances) based on the complaints filed by the relatives of the deceased. They will also inquire into the causes of the outbreak after examining CCTV footage and other documents.

Ms. George claimed that the exact cause of the incident would be known only after the detailed investigation. The MRI unit and the UPS are maintained by a private company. The machine had a warranty period till 2026 October. A report had been sought from the company about the functioning of the machine.

The Minister said that 151 patients had been shifted during the evacuation process. A total of 114 had been shifted to other wards in the medical college hospital and 37 in other hospitals. Steps would be taken to restore the services at the PMSSY block in three days. A temporary emergency ward had been set up at the Government General Hospital at the Kozhikode beach. The previous casualty ward of the medical college hospital, which was shifted to the PMSSY block some time ago, would be re-equipped for the time being, she added.