Four patients died and over 200 others were evacuated at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital in Kerala on Friday, May 2, triggering widespread panic after smoke filled the hospital’s emergency department. The smoke is believed to have originated from a suspected electric short circuit in the UPS room of the hospital at around 8 pm.
Fire department teams rushed to the hospital ward and responded swiftly, dousing the fire before it could catch other areas. Patients were moved to safety by emergency responders and hospital staff after the incident. However, four people have died. Authorities said the deaths are not caused by fire or smoke exposure, as per a report in Manorama.
Also Read | Shirgao Tragedy: What Caused the Deadly Stampede at Lairai Devi Jatra in Goa?.
The deceased were critically ill before the smoke incident. However, MLA T Siddique challenged this, claiming that at least three of the deaths may have resulted from smoke inhalation and the ensuing chaos, reported Mathrubhumi. Among the deceased was Nazira, a 44-year-old woman from Meppadi in Wayanad district.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George directed officials to launch an inquiry into the incident to establish what went wrong and prevent similar occurrences in the future. She directed the Director of the college's medical education department to shift emergency patients to a safer place for treatment. The patients on the upper floors of the medical college were evacuated from the building, and instructions were given to ensure that no one was left in the building.