AC Short Circuit Sparks Blaze In Akola Hospital Akola: A major fire scare was reported at a private hospital in the Ramdaspeth area of Akola on Thursday after an air conditioner caught fire due to a short circuit, triggering a blaze in the critical care unit (CCU) and spreading smoke to the intensive care unit (ICU). The incident occurred around 1:10 p.m. when an AC unit in the CCU malfunctioned and ignited, engulfing the room where two patients were receiving treatment. Hospital staff acted swiftly to evacuate both patients immediately. The adjoining ICU was also affected as smoke spread through the facility, causing panic among patients and their families. With the help of locals and attendants, hospital authorities coordinated the transfer of all ICU patients to nearby hospitals using ambulances. Fire officials arrived at the scene within minutes of receiving the alert. Manish Kathale, chief of the fire department, stated, “We got a call at around 1:10 p.m. and reached the hospital within five minutes. Our first priority was to rescue patients from the affected CCU area, while another team simultaneously worked to douse the flames.” He emphasized that the fire was brought under control promptly, preventing it from spreading further. Patients in the ICU were also evacuated as a precautionary measure. Dr. Deepak Kelkar, the hospital director, explained that solar installation work was underway at the facility, and the main power line had been switched off. “We are investigating how power supply resumed and led to the short circuit. Our immediate focus was on ensuring patient safety. Thanks to our staff, fire brigade, and locals, all patients were safely evacuated,” he said. Police arrived at the scene to assess the situation, and no injuries or casualties were reported.#akola #ramdaspeth #akola_hospital #manish_kathale #dr_deepak_kelkar
