Fire Breaks Out at Mumbai’s Bhatia Hospital; Over 200 Evacuated

A fire broke out at a private hospital in south Mumbai on Monday afternoon, leading to the temporary evacuation of about 250 people, including patients, doctors and staff, officials said. No injuries were reported. The fire erupted at Bhatia Hospital in the Grant Road area around 1:35 PM. ,The blaze originated in the hospital’s CT-MRI scan unit and was confined to electrical wiring and installations, according to preliminary findings. Firefighters rushed to the spot after receiving an emergency call. ,AS per officials, at least eight fire engines, along with other firefighting vehicles and equipment, were deployed to control the blaze. The fire was brought under control within 10 to 15 minutes and fully extinguished by around 3 p.m., ,As a precaution, hospital authorities temporarily evacuated around 250 people from the premises. These included patients, medical staff and other employees. Officials said the evacuation was carried out smoothly and no panic was reported.,Fire officials said a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where newborns requiring special medical care are treated, was located directly above the affected CT-MRI unit. Given the potential risk from smoke, firefighters and hospital staff worked together to ensure the safety of the infants.,Personnel from the Mumbai Fire Brigade used forced ventilation systems mounted on firefighting vehicles to remove smoke from the affected area. To further reduce risk, newborns were temporarily shifted from one ward to another as a preventive step.,“If the smoke had increased, it could have affected the babies. So we carried out a stage-wise shifting to ensure their safety instead of waiting for the situation to worsen,” a fire officer said., ,Normal operations were gradually restored after the situation was brought under control.,The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, though fire officials suspect it was of electrical origin.,Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Mumbai, India and around the world. Read more