Second fire incident within a week in PGIMER

In the second incident of its kind within a week, a fire broke out in the basement of the Advanced Eye Centre at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh on Monday morning. The fire, reportedly caused by a short circuit, ignited around 10 a.m. fortunately, the PGIMER’s fire response team swiftly brought the blaze under control.
The basement of the Advanced Eye Centre serves as the location for PGIMER’s electrical department office. Senior hospital officials were present on the scene to manage the situation.
This incident follows a similar occurrence on the night of October 9th when a significant fire erupted in the 60-year-old Nehru Hospital basement. The fire necessitated the evacuation of 424 patients, including pregnant women, newborns, and critically ill patients. In that case, the fire had a more substantial impact, affecting three floors of the building.
The findings of the fact-finding committee responsible for investigating the October 9th incident are still pending presentation to PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal.
In the previous fire incident, it has come to light that PGI lacks essential sprinkler systems in Nehru Hospital, crucial components of fire safety systems. Sprinklers are designed to automatically disperse water or fire-extinguishing agents when a fire is detected, with the primary goal of controlling and preventing the spread of fires. They are commonly installed in buildings as a fundamental fire protection measure. PGI has reported a recent expenditure of nearly Rs 70 lakh on fire safety equipment for Nehru Hospital. However, it is noteworthy that PGI has not yet obtained a fire safety certification for the Nehru Hospital building, the very location where the recent fire incident occurred.