Siliguri: A fire broke out at a prominent private hospital in Siliguri on Saturday evening, sending thick black smoke through a section of the facility and triggering panic among patients, their relatives and hospital staff. There were no casualties.As the smoke spread, several patients admitted in the affected section were shifted to other wards. Some of them reportedly experienced breathing difficulties and discomfort.Two fire engines reached the hospital and firefighters had to make their way through smoke-filled corridors. After nearly 30 minutes, they managed to bring the fire completely under control.Siliguri police commissioner Syed Waqar Raza reached the hospital and supervised the situation. A large police contingent was deployed to control the crowd, keep access routes clear for the fire engines and facilitate the safe movement of patients.“No casualties were reported. A few patients who felt unwell after being exposed to the smoke were shifted to other wards,” said a police officer.The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Fire officials, however, suspect that a short circuit in an electrical panel or the air-conditioning line may have triggered the blaze.The fire department would examine whether the hospital’s fire-safety systems were functioning properly and whether its infrastructure was being regularly inspected.
