A day after the fire accident in the city-based SUM Hospital claimed 20 lives and left 100 others injured, the Odisha police on Tuesday arrested four officials of the hospital.
The officials were Medical Superintendent Pusparaj Samantsinhar, Electrical Maintenance Engineer Amulya Sahoo, Fire Safety Officer Santosh Das and Junior Engineer (Electrical) Malay Sahoo.
Two cases
The arrests were made on the basis of two separate cases registered against the hospital authorities for alleged deficiencies in fire safety measures and lapses in patient care. “In 2013, a fire safety audit was conducted at the SUM Hospital. Subsequently, hospital authorities were asked to comply with fire safety norms on 10 different points. Upon an inspection of the accident site, it was found that the majority of the suggestions had not been complied with,” said Director General of Police (Fire Service) Binay Behera.
Central Range Fire Officer B.B. Das filed a complaint at the Khandagiri police station here for non-adherence to fire safety measures.
‘No fire safety certificate’
“The SUM Hospital has not obtained any valid fire safety certificate and the fire tragedy of such a magnitude occurred entirely due to negligence on the part of the hospital authorities. They failed to install the recommended measures while inadequate maintenance of the available fire safety installations added to the problems,” Mr. Das said in his complaint.
“The fire detection system was not functioning as it had not been integrated properly because of which there was no alarm warning people of the situation. Despite recommendations, an operational sprinkler system had not been provided in the building, including the affected ICU and Dialysis ward,” he said.
The Directorate of Medical Education and Training, Odisha, filed another complaint against the hospital authorities for the violation of different norms.
The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Central) A.B. Ota, who was assigned to probe the circumstances under which the tragedy occurred, has begun his investigation.
The Odisha Human Rights Commission, which took suo motu cognisance of the death of 20 persons in the accident asked State Home Secretary and DG (Fire Service) to furnish a report within three weeks.
‘An accident’
Meanwhile, the SUM Hospital authorities termed the fire an accident and suspended four employees, including the hospital manager and the fire officer.
The officials were Medical Superintendent Pusparaj Samantsinhar, Electrical Maintenance Engineer Amulya Sahoo, Fire Safety Officer Santosh Das and Junior Engineer (Electrical) Malay Sahoo.
Two cases
The arrests were made on the basis of two separate cases registered against the hospital authorities for alleged deficiencies in fire safety measures and lapses in patient care. “In 2013, a fire safety audit was conducted at the SUM Hospital. Subsequently, hospital authorities were asked to comply with fire safety norms on 10 different points. Upon an inspection of the accident site, it was found that the majority of the suggestions had not been complied with,” said Director General of Police (Fire Service) Binay Behera.
Central Range Fire Officer B.B. Das filed a complaint at the Khandagiri police station here for non-adherence to fire safety measures.
‘No fire safety certificate’
“The SUM Hospital has not obtained any valid fire safety certificate and the fire tragedy of such a magnitude occurred entirely due to negligence on the part of the hospital authorities. They failed to install the recommended measures while inadequate maintenance of the available fire safety installations added to the problems,” Mr. Das said in his complaint.
“The fire detection system was not functioning as it had not been integrated properly because of which there was no alarm warning people of the situation. Despite recommendations, an operational sprinkler system had not been provided in the building, including the affected ICU and Dialysis ward,” he said.
The Directorate of Medical Education and Training, Odisha, filed another complaint against the hospital authorities for the violation of different norms.
The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Central) A.B. Ota, who was assigned to probe the circumstances under which the tragedy occurred, has begun his investigation.
The Odisha Human Rights Commission, which took suo motu cognisance of the death of 20 persons in the accident asked State Home Secretary and DG (Fire Service) to furnish a report within three weeks.
‘An accident’
Meanwhile, the SUM Hospital authorities termed the fire an accident and suspended four employees, including the hospital manager and the fire officer.