Patients shifted to six hospitals; one female patient falls and dies while being rescued by fire brigade

A six-month-old girl was among the six people who died in a fire that engulfed the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospital in Andheri on Monday. Only two of the six have been identified: Tirthraj Gupta (74) and Asaram Marge (68).

As many as 145 people, including patients who were hospitalised and their relatives, were injured. The patients were shifted to six different hospitals after they were rescued from the six-storey glass façade building.

As the fire broke out and the smoke accumulated in the building, many of the patients and relatives gathered near the windows calling for help. Locals in the area broke the glass panes with the help of the fire brigade. As the patients were already weak and in a state of panic, many of them fell while being rescued with the help of a rope and ladder.

“A female patient slipped and fell while being rescued from the fourth floor. She died on the spot. Thereafter, three other patients also slipped,” Maruti Rakshe, a local, said. The 350-bed hospital had 163 patients admitted as on Sunday. The update on Monday was to be taken in the evening when the fire broke out. Among the 163 patients, two were on ventilator support.

Firefighters rescue people. | Photo Credit: Prashant Waydande

Dr. Khalil Ahmed, who was on the State’s 108 ambulance service, said one of the patients on ventilator support was rescued with the use of an ambu bag (a bag valve mask) and then put on oxygen support in the ambulance while being shifted to another hospital.

“We helped patients come out from the rear exit which was shut. We broke the metal sheet that was used to close it and took the patients out,” a staff member said. Among those who were rescued were many newborn babies and their mothers and women in advanced stage of pregnancy. Marina Mondal (27), who had delivered a girl three days ago, said, “When the nurse opened the ward, there was smoke outside. She shut the door and called the doctor who advised us to remain inside till help comes. The staff gave us wet masks to cover our face and the babies too. Some of the women covered the face with their duppattas.”

“I was in pain due to my caesarean surgery. I somehow managed to hold my baby and come down,” she said. The hospital staff accommodated the babies and mothers near a temple and referred them to other hospitals if needed. Rukmini Yadav, a young mother who was taken to Seven Hills Hospital with smoke inhalation injuries, continued to ask the doctors about her two-month-old baby. The mother and the baby were separated in the chaos that followed after the fire. “We did not get any babies as patients. We are enquiring with other hospitals,” Dr. LP Sadhotra, vice president (medical), Seven Hills Hospital, said.

Sanjay Kumar Sinha, additional commissioner, ESIC, said, “Everybody has been evacuated from the hospital. Construction was going on here for a very long time. It is being overseen by the Delhi head office along with NBCC while local office had done some documentation. That’s all I can say. All senior officials will be coming to Mumbai on Tuesday for a meeting.”

Health Minister Deepak Sawant said the injured and kin of the deceased will receive compensation. He said the amount will be announced on Tuesday. He also said the death toll may rise as many patients are critical.

Five babies in Holy Spirit Hospital’s NICU

Forty-one patients were taken to Holy Spirit Hospital of which a girl aged about four-five months was declared dead on arrival. Five newborn babies were admitted to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. “One baby has been on ventilator so far,” Sister Sneha, executive director of Holy Spirit Hospital, said. She said among the adult patients, two are on ventilator support and seven in the intensive care unit.

Senior ESIC doctor hospitalised

Dr. Reshma Verma, deputy medical superintendent, ESIC hospital, was among the four doctors who were admitted to Holy Spirit Hospital due to smoke inhalation. Dr. Verma was in a review committee meeting on the third floor when her staff alerted her about the fire. “We broke the glass panes and had some oxygen. The staff helped many patients come near the open glass to avoid suffocation,” Dr. Verma, who was rescued by the fire brigade, said.

No patient history, 9 critical in Seven Hills

As the injured victims were rushed to the six nearby hospitals — Cooper, HBT Trauma Care, Seven Hills, Holy Spirit, Hiranandani and Siddharth — the treating doctors found it challenging to carry out interventions and these were patients who were already hospitalised with ailments. “None of the patients have the case history. When the patients were brought in, their relatives were not with them either to give the history. So, it was challenging for the doctors to do a prompt clinical analysis and put them on treatment,” Dr. LP Sadhotra, vice president (medical), Seven Hills Hospital, said. Forty-five patients were taken to Seven Hills hospital of which nine were in the intensive care unit and six of them on ventilator support. Three patients — one female and two males — were brought dead to the hospital.

Surgery postponed thrice, man killed in fire

Sixty-eight-year-old Asaram Magre, a resident of Powai, was admitted to ESIC hospital last month after he fell from his bed and fractured his ankle. His surgery had been scheduled three times since then but cancelled each time due to the excessive accumulation of phlegm in his chest. “They were planning to take him for the surgery in a day or two,” Magre’s son-in-law said. He said he was very restless and wanted to go home. “I wish we had listened to him,” he said. Magre was admitted in the third-floor ward. Another relative said, “He was agile. But he must have failed to escape due to his injury.” Magre worked as a security guard at IIT, Powai.