Minor fire breaks out at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital; patients panic as smoke spreads to wards

COIMBATORE: A minor fire broke out near the influenza like illness (ILI) ward in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) at 11.40am on Wednesday. The fire is suspected to have occurred due to a short circuit.
A CMCH official said no one was injured due to the fire.
The fire was put out by the CMCH staff, using fire extinguishers, in 15 minutes.
However, fire and rescue services personnel were called in as smoke spread to a few wards and reached up to the neighbouring Bank of Baroda premises.
“The smoke entered a few wards and many patients and attenders ran out of the building. Nearly 200 people gathered outside the ward. Since the fire occurred in a small passage between ILI ward and the old intensive care unit, no patients were affected,” said resident medical officer Dr Ponmudi Sivan.
Fire and rescue services personnel and hospital authorities suspect that the incident happened after a high voltage cable came in contact with dry garbage bags.