A fire that broke out early Wednesday morning at Khulna Medical College Hospital created panic among patients, attendants and hospital staff, leaving several people injured during an emergency evacuation.
The fire started around 6:00am in a store room on the third floor of the four-storey hospital building, according to officials. Thick smoke soon spread to nearby operation theatres and post-operative wards, forcing hospital staff to quickly move patients to safer areas.
Critical patients from the ICU were also evacuated as smoke filled parts of the building. Witnesses said many patients and attendants rushed out in fear as the situation worsened.
Several people were injured during the evacuation, including hospital employee Saidur Rahman, senior staff nurses Noorain, Dipali and Sharmin, and Fire Service member Touhid.
Hospital sources said two nurses were admitted to the ICU of a private hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation. Another nurse was injured while coming down from the third floor during the evacuation.
Fire Service officials said 10 firefighting units worked for nearly an hour to bring the blaze under control. Firefighters faced difficulties during the operation as some gates inside the hospital were locked and had to be forced open.
Some people trapped on balconies were also rescued during the rescue effort.
Khulna Fire Service Assistant Director Masud Sardar said three units from Boyra first responded to the scene before seven additional units joined the operation. He said the fire was limited to the store room area.
Most patients were asleep when the fire broke out, hospital authorities said. Some operation theatre equipment was damaged in the incident, while many patients later left the hospital or were shifted to other medical facilities.
Resident Medical Officer Dr Hossain Ali said the fire may have been caused by a short circuit or a malfunctioning air-conditioner, though the exact reason will be confirmed after an investigation.
Authorities have launched an inquiry to determine the cause of the fire and assess the total damage.
