A private nursing home in Siliguri, West Bengal, suffered a midnight fire that killed one patient and prompted a swift evacuation of 17 others. The blaze began after 12 am, and first‑responders pulled all patients safely out of the building without injuries.
The single fatality was a patient in the intensive care unit, but doctors have not yet confirmed whether smoke inhalation or another factor caused the death. Police and hospital staff worked together to clear the general ward and ICU, and all other residents were unharmed.
Police Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Singh rushed to the scene after hearing the fire alarm. He told reporters that the 12 general‑ward patients and five ICU patients were all safe. The Siliguri Metropolitan Police have opened an investigation and will act under the law.
Families of the nursing home residents have lodged complaints, saying the centre failed to provide proper fire safety gear and enough staff to fight a blaze. “There wasn’t enough medical or support staff to use the fire‑fighting equipment at the time the fire broke out,” a relative said.
A fire‑service official present at the scene confirmed that the fire could have been stopped earlier if the equipment had been used correctly. In response, the nursing home spokesperson insisted that the staff was adequate. “We had enough people on duty.” He added that the crisis was managed effectively and all the patients were safe.
An initial investigation points to a short circuit as the fire’s cause. The incident has raised questions about fire safety standards in private nursing homes across West Bengal. The police will follow up on the findings.
Source: ianslive
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