Cuttack: The fire safety system at all Covid hospitals and Covid care centres in the state would be examined within 24 hours, said the Director General of Fire Services, Satyajit Mohanty, here, Thursday.
Mohanty’s statement came in the wake of the death of at least eight patients in a blaze at a Covid hospital at Ahmedabad in Gujarat in the wee hours of Thursday. Around 50 people have sustained burns in the hospital fire, sources said.
“The assistant fire officers and additional fire officers have been directed to examine the fire safety system at all Covid hospitals and Covid care centres (CCCs) in the state. Any loophole in the fire safety system would be conveyed to the authorities concerned. Besides, the hospital authorities would be given suggestions to improve their safety system to deal with possible fire mishaps,” Mohanty said.
The Fire Service DG further revealed that steps would be taken to ensure adequate fire safety measures at around 40 Covid hospitals and 6,770 CCCs in the state.
Total 67,491 beds have been arranged to provide treatment to the coronavirus infected people. Besides, there are also 1,490 cluster-level temporary medical camps in the state.
“Our officials have been directed to examine the fire safety measures at the Covid hospitals and CCCs within 24 hours,” he added.
Mohanty claimed that fire brigade personnel have been engaged to sanitise Covid hospitals and CCCs across the state at regular interval.
Notably, the state government has commissioned several dedicated Covid hospitals in Odisha to upscale the Covid management. It has also opened many CCCs to deal with the rising number Covid positive cases in Odisha.
“The state government has tied up with some private healthcare institutions to open dedicated Covid hospitals. These hospitals usually have fire safety system. However, most of the Covid care centres have been opened at stadiums, empty buildings and educational institutions. These centres may not have adequate safety measures to deal with fire mishaps,” said a source.