SHILLONG, OCT 6: Panic strike the city maternity hospital Ganesh Das when a transformer installed at the backyard of the hospital building exploded leading to fire and the heat and smoke affecting the rooms of the expecting mothers on Monday evening.
The incident took place at around 5 pm when the 200 KV transformer supplying electricity to 400 bedded – Ganesh Das hospital exploded which burnt a wooden shed near the labour room of the hospital, police said.
Panic immediately broke pout and the expecting mothers and children were seen being shifted to other hospitals in the city by the ambulances.
Almost all the patients had to be evacuated from the hospital but were later taken back to their respective wards after it became evident that the fire will not spread to the hospital.
“A fire broke out in an old wooden shed constructed at the back of the hospital building when the transformer exploded,” Ganesh Das medical superintendent T Wahlang told reporters.
Wahlang said that the maternity room located near the wooden shed was affected due to the heat and smoke from the fire and around six expecting mothers were immediately shifted to the new building for safety.
Wahlang, however, assured there is no casualty reported from any part of the hospital. He also clarified that only some patients were referred to other hospitals for safety purpose.
Sources said that there were complaints on the need to shift the transformer from the present location fearing the safety of the hospital.
Queried about this, Wahlang said, “We had written to the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) on the need to shift the transformer to other location as well as upgrade it.”
Immediately after the fire broke out triggering panic in the hospital, , Meghalaya health minister AL Hek rushed to Ganesh Das to personally take stock of the situation.
Hek also directed the officials to ensure that the public do not panic and that things remain under control.- By Our Reporter
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