Fire at General Hospital: Controversy over death of a patient

A minor fire broke out inside the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital here on Monday. The fire service personnel doused the flames within 10 minutes and prevented it from spreading to other areas in the hospital. 

However, there was a controversy over the death of one of the ICU patients, who died immediately after being shifted out of the ward to another ICU in the same block. Hospital authorities had shifted 16 patients from the ICU to another ward as soon as the fire broke out. 

Pandurangan (39), a native of Dindivanam, however, died soon after he was shifted. Hospital Dean Vimala, however, clarified that Pandurangan, who was under treatment for intestinal ailments, was in a bad condition and he did not die due to the fire accident. 

Vimala said Pandurangan died as his condition was worse. “His relatives knew about his condition. He died due to medical reasons and not because of the fire accident. He died 20 minutes after the transfer,” said Vimala.