Probe opens into United Hospital fire that killed 5 patients in COVID-19 unit

Five coronavirus-infected patients died in a fire that broke at the isolation unit of United Hospitals Ltd in the capital on Wednesday night. The deceased were identified as Reazul Alam, 45, Khodeza Begum, 70, Verun Anthony Paul, 74, M Monir Hossain, 75, and M Mahabub, 50, said the hospital. All of them were admitted to the hospital with coronavirus symptoms, it said. M Quamrul Islam, duty officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence central control room, said the fire originated at the corona isolation unit around 9:55pm following the explosion of an air-conditioner.

On information, three firefighting units rushed in and brought the fire under control, he said. Firefighters also retrieved five bodies from the spot, Quamrul said, adding that the deceased include four male and one female.Meanwhile, the Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters has formed a five-member committee with its Deputy Director (Dhaka) Debashis Bardhan as its head to investigate the incident. Besides, the hospital authorities expressed sorrow over the fire incident.

In a statement on Wednesday night, it said the fire originated from an electric short circuit and spread soon fast due to gusty wind. The fire service was informed immediately who brought the blaze under control within 15-20 minutes with the help of hospital’s own fire extinguishers, the statement added.