Five people, including a doctor couple, suffocated to death after a midnight blaze gutted at a private hospital in Jharkhand, India.
The devastating fire broke out in Hazra clinic, a prominent and old maternity hospital in Bank More area of Dhanbad, about 170 km away from the provincial capital Ranchi, at early hours of Saturday.
The deceased have been identified as Dr Vikas Hazra, his wife and famous gynecologist Dr Prema Hazra, their maid Tara, his relative Sunil and one person from his native place who had come to perform Saraswati Puja at his residence. The pet dog of the doctor also died in the incident.
Confirming the matter to an Indian media outlet Sanjeev Kumar, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Dhanbad said, “ The fire occurred around 2am on the top floor of the three-storey building which was the residential part of the doctor couple. The fire fighters rushed in and managed to restrict fire on the second floor. None of the patients in the hospital in the lower floors were affected. All have been shifted to another hospital.”
The fire reportedly spread from one of the store rooms on the middle floor of building, he said.
Meanwhile, the state’s health minister Banna Gupta has sought a report from the Dhanbad deputy commissioner (DC) in this regard.
