'Anguished,' Says PM Modi as At Least 8 Die in Massive Fire at Jabalpur Hospital

A stampede-like situation emerged at Jabalpur’s New Life Hospital as the fire broke out.

At least eight people lost their lives in a massive fire that erupted in Jabalpur’s New Life Hospital on Monday, 1 August.

(Photo: The Quint)

At least eight people lost their lives in a massive fire that erupted in Jabalpur’s New Life Hospital on Monday, 1 August.

Expressing his condolences, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday evening, said:

“Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire at a hospital in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Condolences to the bereaved families. I hope the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is providing all assistance to those affected.”

The fire began from the entrance of the 30-bed hospital located near the Shiv Nagar Damoh Naka, Jabalpur, at around 2:30 pm. A stampede-like situation had emerged at the hospital as the fire broke out.

The Collector, T Illayaraja, has confirmed the death of 8 people of which 3 were staffers at the hospital. Two more injured persons are in the ICU.

Jabalpur: Police and fire personnel inspect after a major fire broke out at the Life Multispeciality Hospital at Damoh Naka, in Jabalpur.

(Photo: PTI)

Jabalpur: Locals gather at the site after a fire broke out at New Life Multi-speciality Hospital, near Damoh Naka in Jabalpur.

(Photo: PTI)

"Our teams immediately arrived at the site of the fire. We have completed the search operation and no one is trapped inside. The first floor has been damaged completely," an National Disaster Response Force official was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The district collector said that a proper inquiry will be conducted to ascertain the cause behind the fire. "We can't be sure before an investigation. However, eyewitnesses claim that there were sparks in the generators," the official said.

Jabalpur Mayor Jagat Bahadur Singh said, "The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. As per the locals, there was a short circuit in the generator downstairs, which spread to the hospital."

The main electricity had gone off following which the electrical load of the hospital got switched to the generators. It was at this time that the generators faulted causing a fire which started at the lower level and moved upwards to reach other floors, as per the police.

'Every Effort Being Made for Relief and Rescue': Madhya Pradesh CM

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced an ex-gratia sum of Rs 5 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.

"The state government will provide assistance of Rs. 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50 thousand to the seriously injured. The government will also bear the cost of complete treatment of the injured," the CM said, expressing his sadness at the unfortunate accident.

Chouhan said that he was in constant touch with the local administration. "The Chief Secretary has been directed to keep an eye on the entire matter. Every effort is being made for relief and rescue," he added.

"In this hour of grief, the bereaved family should not consider themselves alone, I and entire Madhya Pradesh are with the family," Chouhan wrote in a tweet in Hindi.