NEW DELHI: At least seven patients were killed and 20 others were injured after a fire broke out in a leading orthopaedic hospital in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul. Among the deceased are one child and two women, according to local authorities.
The fire originated in the reception area on the ground floor, with the suspected cause being a short circuit. The flames rapidly spread to other floors, engulfing the building.
According to fire service personnel, the victims succumbed to suffocation caused by the thick smoke that filled the hospital.
Initial reports suggest that a short circuit in the reception area is the likely cause of the fire.
Approximately 50 ambulances have been mobilised to transfer patients to safer facilities. At least 30 patients have been admitted to the Dindigul government hospital for treatment.
Fire service personnel battled for over an hour to bring the blaze under control, while rescue operations to locate and assist those trapped inside are still ongoing.