Fire at Calcutta Medical College, patients evacuated

A fire that broke out at a medical store in the state-run Calcutta Medical College and Hospital here on Wednesday was brought under control after five hours. West Bengal Minister Sovan Chatterjee said no one was injured.

Chatterjee said all patients in the affected building were safely evacuated and shifted to other wards in the hospital as the fire, though controlled, continued.

"The blaze broke out in the ground floor of the MCH building at around 7.58 a.m. Ten fire tenders were pressed into service. The situation is now under control," said Jag Mohan, Director General, West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services.

"The fire started at a place where all gas cylinders, gauzes and bandages were stored. We have identified the source and are working accordingly. We are using extractor to remove the smoke. The fire fighters are in control of the situation," Mohan said.

Earlier in the day thick smoke was seen coming out from the old hospital building that has the Cardiology, Hematology and Endocrinology departments.

According to Jayanta Das, supervisor of the affected building, more than 150 patients from different departments were rescued.

Panic gripped some of the patients and their relatives as the situation in the hospital premises turned chaotic soon after the blaze broke out.

Some of the critically ill patients had to be carried out by the hospital staff as not enough stretchers were available.

"I am a heart patient so I panicked on hearing that there was a fire in the hospital," a patient said.

"The moment I heard about the fire, we rushed out. But I have no idea when I will be able to take the patient inside as the doctors could not say anything," a relative of another patient said.- IANS