Thirteen COVID-19 patients died in a hospital fire at Virar in Palghar district of Maharashtra early on Friday, police said.
The fire broke out in the ICU of the hospital around 3 am, they said.
District Disaster Control Cell chief Vivekanand Kadam told PTI that the fire was preceded by an explosion in the AC unit of the intensive care unit.
BL Soni
There were 16 patients undergoing treatment at the hospital, he said.
Firefighters from the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation put out the fire within an hour, Kadam said.
The incident was reported from Vijay Vallab Hospital. After the fire, Vasai MLA Hitendra Thakur reached at the spot.
Visuals from the hospital:
The administration is not allowing relatives to enter the hospital. Police and local authorities are on the spot.
Police Inspector Wagh informed that the fire broke out on the higher floors. He added that the 1st and 2nd floors are safe.
This is the third incident of hospital fire case in recent times in Mumbai. In the first incident, at least 10 people were killed after a fire broke out at a private COVID-19 hospital in Mumbai's Bhandup area in March.
In the fire at the Dahisar Jumbo Covid Centre, 50 Covid patients were evacuated just in time, after a minor fire broke out in April.
(With inputs from PTI)
