Massive fire at Gwalior hospital after AC blast, 56 patients rescued

BHOPAL: Around 56 women had to be rescued from Gwalior's Kamala Raja Hospital after a fire broke out due to an air conditioner explosion. The incident occurred in the labor room of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Department at around 1:30 am on Sunday.

The adjacent maternity ward also filled with smoke, leading urgent evacuation of the patients. The women were moved to a nearby super-specialist hospital after hospital staff and attendants broke the windows for their quick transfer. All the patients are reported to be safe.

The evacuation continued until 4 am on Sunday. Collector Ruchika Chauhan arrived at the scene as soon as the information was received. Kamala Raja Hospital is part of the Jayarogya Hospital group, the largest in the Gwalior division.

Officials informed that the fire began when an AC in the labor room exploded. At the time of the incident, 16 women were in the labor room, and 50 women were in the adjacent maternity ward. Suddenly, one of the ACs exploded, starting the fire.

In addition to the women in the labor room and maternity ward, some children were also admitted to the nearby pediatric ward.

An attendant of one of the patients told local media that before they could understand what was happening, the smoke started suffocating them.

They ran outside with the patients and newborns. The hospital’s ward boy and security guard helped evacuate the patients by breaking the windows. Collector Ruchika Chauhan has ordered an investigation into the incident.