KOLKATA: The blaze at a Bhubaneshwar hospital on Monday, in which 20 people were killed, has revived the tragic memory of the 2011 devastating fire at AMRI hospital that killed 91 patients but hundreds of Kolkata health facilities are apparently yet to learn a lesson.
In spite of heightened vigilance and stricter implementation of prevention norms by fire services, especially after the AMRI disaster, government facilities and scores of nursing homes in the city seem to continue to flout basic safety rules with impunity. Several hospital fires have already occurred this year, including one at Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital in August that killed two and led to a stampede.
Though private hospitals have upgraded their fire-safety equipment and claimed to be geared up to tackle any eventuality, vigil remains lax. In fact, several of these health service facilities, including AMRI itself, have been forced to add features like an emergency exit on every floor, auto exhaust systems to draw out smoke and efficient alarm systems. While these have made the hospitals safer, there’s no way to ensure the equipment work efficiently during emergencies.
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