Cuttack: The seven-member committee constituted to probe the fire mishap at the cytology unit in pathology department of SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) here March 7, has blamed electric short-circuit for the mishap.
In its report submitted with SCB authorities Saturday, the panel said that the cytology unit closed its operations for the day by 5pm. And electrical equipment, including fans and lights, were also closed. However, it was early in the morning when a peon opened the door to find the smoke-engulfed room. An electric short-circuit had triggered the blaze which engulfed the cytology unit gutting advanced diagnostic equipment in it, mentions the report, adding that the exact loss was yet to be ascertained.
Interestingly, a senior official of GED pointed out that the air conditioners (ACs) at the cytology unit were functional overnight even after closure of the unit. “The unit had five-split and one window ACs. The fact that all indoor units of the ACs were reduced to cinders substantiates that the blaze was triggered by electric shout-circuit from in any of the air conditioners,” the official said.
Sources said SCB, one of the largest state-run referral hospitals in the eastern India, often suffers huge losses caused by fire mishaps. Fire mishaps were witnessed at Plastic Surgery and Cardiology departments besides the Central intensive care unit over the past couple of months. And almost all the mishaps were said to have triggered by electric short-circuits.
When asked, SCB superintendent CBK Mohanty said they would take action after analysing the report in detail.
Earlier, activist Achyuta Kumar Sahoo had demanded a high-level probe into the mishap alleging foul play. “Free treatment and diagnostic services at SCB usually don’t go well with several private healthcare facility and diagnostic centres here. So, a few of them try to create untoward situations in the hospital. Under such circumstances, chances of any foul play can’t be ruled out,” Sahoo had pointed out, adding that a high-level probe would help check if the mishap is manmade.
According to sources, a few staffers of the pathology department spotted the blaze in the morning and informed the Fire Services personnel who reached the spot and managed to contain the flames. Later, a seven-member committee was formed and was asked to submit its report within a week.
Cryostat, Immunofluorescence and Pentahard were among the most of the advanced equipment at the unit which were gutted. “Rs 20 lakh worth Cryostat is instrumental in detecting cancerous cell within a few minutes. The advanced machine had developed some snags a few months after its purchase. But it had resumed operation after repair two months ago,” a senior official of the pathology department said.