Kozhikode MCH's multi-layer detector bursts out

Staff at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital arranged a temporary casualty ward after a fire in the PMSSY neighborhood on Friday night. |Picture source: k ragesh

On the evening of May 2, a multi-layer investigation is underway during a fire break out in the casualties department in the super special block of the Surgery Department of the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital.

Health Minister Veena George held a senior official meeting at the Medical School on Saturday afternoon and later told the media that Kerala National Electrical Supervision Agency, the electrical department of the Public Works Department and the Kerala Police Department for Forensic Wing will inquire about the incident. She said a team of medical experts drawn from other government medical colleges and hospitals will also conduct an investigation.

The incident occurred on the first floor of the hospital's PMSSY block at about 8 p.m. on May 2, after a short circuit reportedly caused an explosion of the battery unit attached to the UPS room in the casualty ward. The smoke quickly swallowed the house and was chaotic for more than two hours as a large number of patients had to be evacuated from it.

Health Minister Veena George came out from the PMSSY neighborhood of the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode on Saturday. |Picture source: K. Ragesh

Meanwhile, the death of five patients during the evacuation sparked controversy, when some of their family members and MLA's T. siddique claimed they died after inhaling smoke. The deceased was Surendran, 59, a 65-year-old native of Vadakara, Gopalan, 65, West Hill, 70-year-old Kozhikode City, Gangadharan, native of Meppayyur, located in Kozhikode District, Naseera, Naseera, Naseera, 44, 44, Wayanad and 34-year-old Ganga, from Ganga, West Bengal.

After the charges, authorities decided to conduct an autopsy on May 3. According to sources, preliminary autopsy reports from Gangadharan, Gopalan and Surendran ruled out the possibility of smoke entering the lungs. The three of them reportedly have existing key health problems. Naseera consumed poison and was not in good condition. Hospital authorities claimed that the four men were supported on ventilators and were taken out of the building before the smoke engulfed the house. Ganges was taken to the hospital.

At the same time, the review was conducted under Article 194 of the Balatia Nagarik Sulaksha Sunita, and the police also investigated under Article 194 of the deceased's complaints. They will also ask why the outbreak is caused after checking CCTV footage and other files.

Ms. George claimed that the exact cause of the incident could only be known after a detailed investigation. The MRI unit and UPS are maintained by a private company. The warranty period for this machine is October 2026. The company has sought reports on the machine's functionality.

The minister said 151 patients had been transferred during the evacuation. A total of 114 were transferred to other wards of the Medical College Hospital and 37 other wards. Steps will be taken to restore services in the PMSSY neighborhood within three days. A temporary emergency ward was established at the Government General Hospital in Kozhikode Beach. She added that the medical school hospital's previous casualty ward will be temporarily re-equipped, and the medical school hospital's previous casualty ward was transferred to the PMSSY neighborhood.