5 patients killed, 12 injured in Maha hospital ICU fire (Ld)

Ahmednagar (Maharashtra), Nov 6 (IANS) At least five patients were burnt to death and 15 others injured when a massive blaze ripped through the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Ahmednagar Civil Hospital here on Saturday, officials said.Four fire-tenders have rushed to battle the blaze which has spread to other adjoining wards with attempts underway to control the flames, said an official of the Ahmednagar Police Control.Hospital authorities, aided by locals and rescue teams, managed to shift many patients from the neighbouring wards as a precaution, he added.At the time of the incident, there were at least 20 patients undergoing treatment in the ICU and scores of anxious relatives rushed to the hospital for details on their near and dear ones.Though the horrific fire was brought under control around 1 p.m., eyewitnesses said the entire ICU has been reduced to a heap of burnt rubble, and the casualty figures could further increase.Senior police, district and fire brigade officials have reached the spot and are supervising the rescue and relief operations, while the cause of the blaze, tentatively suspected to be a short-circuit, is being probed.
--IANS qn/svn/ksk/

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