Chandigarh: PGIMER forms high-powered panel to expedite fire safety measures
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has constituted a high-powered committee to work on the modalities to address issues surrounding fire safety. The action came following the UT administrator’s directions to the hospital authorities to comply with the National Building Code for obtaining fire safety certificates to ensure the safety of patients and staff.Currently, only one of the total 17 buildings on the PGIMER campus, spread over 277 acres, possesses a fire safety certificate.UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit on April 22 had expressed worries regarding patient safety, given that the premier institute had witnessed five fire incidents in the past six months.“PGIMER must conduct facility inspections regularly, train staff, maintain equipment, test evacuation plans and enhance fire safety awareness,” Purohit had said.On Tuesday, PGIMER’s official spokesperson said, “A high-powered committee has been constituted at PGIMER with clear mandate to work on the modalities to fast track the issues regarding fire safety raised in the recent meeting convened by the UT administration under the Punjab governor and UT administrator.”The most recent blaze had erupted at Advanced Cardiac Centre’s OT-2 on the fifth floor on March 30, while a surgery was underway. Though no casualty was reported, the incident exposed the hospital administration’s failure to take corrective measures in the aftermath of the past incidents, rendering the hospital into a fire trap.Sparking and short-circuits are common causes of fires at the institute. The administration claims that for the first time they have started an internal electrical audit to avoid short-circuits/sparks.Secondly, the Uninterrupted Power System (UPS) batteries were the cause behind the major fire at the 60-year-old Nehru Hospital building in October 2023. As many as 424 patients had to be evacuated as fire fighters battled the blaze. In the wake of this incident, the hospital administration had considered relocating UPS batteries from within the building. However, over six months later, the process is still not complete, as confirmed by the hospital administration. In this major fire, the quantum of loss was estimated close to ₹12 crore. In subsequent weeks, PGIMER had installed over 1,700 new fire extinguishers, made efforts to enhance the existing sprinkler systems and redesigned the fire exit routes, besides setting up more fire alarms, but still there are no active mock drills to check the preparedness. An official at PGIMER mentioned that the institute regularly provided fire safety and evacuation training to its staff and diligently implemented fire safety policies. Additionally, the institute has replaced burners with hot plates in all offices to prevent fire incidents. Previously, a fire audit by CBRI, Roorkee, had revealed insufficient fire safety measures in four buildings at PGIMER: New OPD, Advanced Eye Centre, Advanced Cardiac Centre and Advanced Paediatric Centre. Whereas audit of other buildings is underway. The entire campus will be surveyed for fire compliance, including 60-year-old Nehru Hospital building, administrative Kairon Block, Library and Research blocks.
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Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has constituted a high-powered committee to work on the modalities to address issues surrounding fire safety.
The action came following the UT administrator’s directions to the hospital authorities to comply with the National Building Code for obtaining fire safety certificates to ensure the safety of patients and staff.
Currently, only one of the total 17 buildings on the PGIMER campus, spread over 277 acres, possesses a fire safety certificate.
UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit on April 22 had expressed worries regarding patient safety, given that the premier institute had witnessed five fire incidents in the past six months.
“PGIMER must conduct facility inspections regularly, train staff, maintain equipment, test evacuation plans and enhance fire safety awareness,” Purohit had said.
On Tuesday, PGIMER’s official spokesperson said, “A high-powered committee has been constituted at PGIMER with clear mandate to work on the modalities to fast track the issues regarding fire safety raised in the recent meeting convened by the UT administration under the Punjab governor and UT administrator.”
The most recent blaze had erupted at Advanced Cardiac Centre’s OT-2 on the fifth floor on March 30, while a surgery was underway. Though no casualty was reported, the incident exposed the hospital administration’s failure to take corrective measures in the aftermath of the past incidents, rendering the hospital into a fire trap.
Sparking and short-circuits are common causes of fires at the institute. The administration claims that for the first time they have started an internal electrical audit to avoid short-circuits/sparks.
Secondly, the Uninterrupted Power System (UPS) batteries were the cause behind the major fire at the 60-year-old Nehru Hospital building in October 2023. As many as 424 patients had to be evacuated as fire fighters battled the blaze.
In the wake of this incident, the hospital administration had considered relocating UPS batteries from within the building. However, over six months later, the process is still not complete, as confirmed by the hospital administration. In this major fire, the quantum of loss was estimated close to ₹12 crore.
In subsequent weeks, PGIMER had installed over 1,700 new fire extinguishers, made efforts to enhance the existing sprinkler systems and redesigned the fire exit routes, besides setting up more fire alarms, but still there are no active mock drills to check the preparedness.
An official at PGIMER mentioned that the institute regularly provided fire safety and evacuation training to its staff and diligently implemented fire safety policies. Additionally, the institute has replaced burners with hot plates in all offices to prevent fire incidents.
Previously, a fire audit by CBRI, Roorkee, had revealed insufficient fire safety measures in four buildings at PGIMER: New OPD, Advanced Eye Centre, Advanced Cardiac Centre and Advanced Paediatric Centre. Whereas audit of other buildings is underway. The entire campus will be surveyed for fire compliance, including 60-year-old Nehru Hospital building, administrative Kairon Block, Library and Research blocks.
