Mangaluru, Jan 16: A minor fire broke out in the main building of District Wenlock Hospital at Mangaluru on Friday, causing panic and confusion among hospital staff and patients in the building.
According to eye-witnesses, the fire was caused by a short-circuit in the CT Scan room located in the ground floor close to the entrance of the building at about 11.30 a.m. The fire triggered panic among few doctors and staff present at the hospital, who were apprehensive of the fire spreading to other rooms in the building.
Initially, the staff present at the scene began splashing water at the fire before few security personnel used the fire extinguishers available to douse the fire. Fortunately, the fire was contained in the CT Scan room and was doused swiftly even as the fire engine arrived at the scene.
However, thick smoke that was still emanating from the room caused apprehension among the medical staff and supervisors, leading them to evacuate some of the patients admitted in the general ward nearby.
No casualties were reported in the incident and at first glance, the CT Scan machines also seemed undamaged in the fire.
Nevertheless, District Surgeon of Wenlock Hospital Dr Rajeshwari said that she would launch an enquiry on the cause of the fire and would request the authorities at Kasturba Medical Hospital, Mangaluru to provide CT scanning for patients admitted in Wenlock Hospital free of cost till the machines were inspected and tested.
A lot of crowd gathered as the thick smoke began to clear from the vicinity. Fire service personnel also inspected the scene of the incident before declaring that there was no immediate danger in the aftermath of the fire.
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