MUMBAI, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) – At least 10 people were killed and seven others critically injured after a major fire broke out at a ward dedicated for COVID-19 patients in a hospital in India’s western state of Maharashtra on Saturday.
Rajendra Bhosale, district collector of Ahmednagar, 255 km from Mumbai in Maharashtra, confirmed that 10 people had died in the intensive care unit of the hospital and preliminary enquiry indicated it could be a short circuit.
The fire has been brought under control by four fire tenders.
Expressing condolences on the deaths, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire in a hospital in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest.”
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered a probe into the incident and has announced a compensation of 5 lakh rupees (6,739 U.S. dollars) each to the kin of the deceased.
“Deeply anguished by the heart-wrenching accident that took place in the Civil Hospital, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families and I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Home Minister Amit Shah said on Twitter.
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