A devastating fire at a private hospital in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, claimed the lives of seven people, including a three-year-old boy, on Thursday night. The tragedy unfolded as patients and staff were trapped inside the hospital, with many feared stuck in a lift as flames spread through the building.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel quickly began operations to contain the blaze and evacuate patients. An official stated that around 50 ambulances were dispatched from nearby areas to transfer patients from the affected hospital to the nearby government hospital in Dindigul.
The rescue teams managed to evacuate about 30 in-patients, who were immediately admitted to the district government hospital. However, seven victims, who suffocated to death, were found inside the hospital lift.
Initial investigations suggest that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, police said. The blaze engulfed parts of the hospital, creating thick smoke that made evacuation challenging.
Television visuals showed smoke and fire billowing from the hospital building, with fire tenders on-site battling to control the flames. Distressed relatives gathered outside the hospital, waiting for news of their loved ones as rescue operations continued late into the night.
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