Overview
- A blaze tore through the emergency/casualty ward at Rainbow Children’s Hospital in Currency Nagar, Vijayawada on Wednesday, gutting the unit and sending smoke to the first floor.
- Hospital staff and attendants evacuated all babies and children without injuries and some patients were moved to a nearby hospital after the hospital alarm and sprinklers activated.
- Fire-control received the alert at 8:12 a.m. and fire crews from Vijayawada and Auto Nagar reached the site within about three minutes and extinguished the flames.
- Fire officials say they suspect a short circuit that ignited an air-conditioner in the casualty ward and have opened a formal investigation into the cause and safety compliance.
- The hospital management has not commented and the damaged emergency ward is likely to disrupt services, prompting possible regulatory inspections and temporary patient relocations.