Hospitals advised to update fire safety measures and train staff in handling oxygen
All hospitals in the State should immediately update its fire safety measures and train all its staff in the safe handling of oxygen as the increased storage and handling of oxygen cylinders and use of mechanical ventilators during COVID heightens the risk of hospital fires several fold.
Already two incidents of hospital fires have been reported from two COVID hospitals in Gujarat in the past two weeks, one as recent as Friday when at least 18 patients were killed. In both instances, the fire had broken out in the ICUs.