Lok Bandhu fire: Two probe teams formed; one to meet today to strategise

The strategy for a probe into Monday’s blaze at state-run Lok Bandhu Hospital will be decided in a committee meeting to be held Thursday, said Dr Ratan Suman, the chairperson of a five-member committee constituted by the state government to investigate the incident.

The committee, formed by principal secretary of Medical Health and Family Welfare Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma, was yet to visit or begin a probe into the incident, said Dr Suman, who’s also the director general (DG) of state medical health services.

Apart from the DG, the director of electrical safety, the additional director of medical education, a fire officer nominated by the DG and the additional director (electrical) of medical health services are its members.

Also, another team, which has been formed by the Lucknow district magistrate, has been formed to probe the incident. Each team has 13 days left to complete its report and submit it to the authorities.

Additional chief medical officer Dr AP Singh, who is a part of the DM’s probe team, said: “The team has started its investigation. Visits to the hospital and recording statements are being scheduled at present,” he said.

The DM’s team is to be headed by the additional district magistrate (finance) and has the additional deputy commissioner of police (South), the chief fire officer and the additional chief medical officer, as well as a representative from the power department, as its members.

DM Vishak G, while speaking to HT, said, “It is a part of the standard procedure for the district authorities to conduct investigations into such fires, which are a public concern. We will do our probe alongside any other investigation body formed for the purpose.”

57 evacuees under treatment at other hospitals

A total of 130 patients were referred to other government hospitals in the city after a fire broke out on the second floor of Lok Bandhu Hospital’s main building on Monday night, said hospital director Dr Sangeeta Gupta.

Among them, only 57 remained hospitalised and were under treatment or observation, as of Wednesday, she added. “We have requested all other government hospitals [in the city] to share our load at this time,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lok Bandhu’s outpatient department saw a footfall of 1,400 and 1,300 on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, even as it has resumed its pathology and ultrasound testing, said chief medical superintendent Dr Rajeev Dixit.

“On Tuesday, we resumed our pathology testing and ultrasound facilities, and collected 76 samples for blood testing. We are hoping to restart X-rays and CT Scans soon,” he added.

On the night of the incident, patients evacuated from Lok Bandhu were sent to King George’s Medical University, Civil, Balrampur and other government medical facilities. Civil Hospital admitted 26 patients, the most. “Most of the non-critical patients chose to make their own appointments rather than being referred through the hospital. Some of the elective surgeries were postponed,” he said, adding most critical patients were sent to KGMU and Balrampur Hospital.