LUCKNOW A fire broke out at the Northern Railway Divisional Hospital in Alambagh in the wee hours of Monday, causing panic among patients as multiple individuals were trapped in the critical care unit (CCU) on the first floor.
Emergency teams quickly responded to the situation to begin evacuations. Initial investigations revealed that the incident resulted from a suspected short circuit, and officials noted that there were no functioning fire alarms in the facility.
Over 22 patients were transferred to other wards as smoke infiltrated the CCU. The hospital grounds were secured, restricting access to fire department and police personnel only. Hospital authorities reported that no injuries were sustained by patients during the incident.
The incident exposed serious lapses in the hospital’s fire safety readiness. A fire department official, who visited the site as part of the rescue team, revealed that the hospital lacked a functional fire alarm system. “Had the fire escalated before being noticed, the situation could have turned grave. The extinguishers were working, but the absence of an alarm system is a major concern,” the official said.
According to fire department officials, the blaze started in the CCTV and server room on the ground floor. Thick smoke quickly filled the area and began spreading upward through a ramp that connects to the CCU ward. As soon as the smoke reached the first floor, hospital staff initiated evacuation procedures and alerted the fire department. Fire units from Alambagh and Hazratganj reached the hospital and began firefighting and rescue operations.
“We found the server room engulfed in flames. Patients in the CCU were shifted…our first priority was to evacuate them safely,” said a fire officer involved in the operation. The patients were moved down the staircase and shifted to unaffected wards within the hospital.
The medical team on duty continued to monitor patients during the transfer to ensure that life-support equipment and critical care protocols were maintained without interruption.
Fire safety officer DP Singh of the Alambagh fire station said the department had previously issued a letter advising the hospital to upgrade its fire safety equipment and infrastructure. “We will now be issuing procedural notices to ensure compliance,” he said.
A Northern Railway spokesperson said a proposal for upgrading the hospital’s fire safety system has already been prepared and is awaiting approval from the Railway Board. “Once approval is granted, the work will begin,” the spokesperson said.
The fire department will submit a detailed report and authorities are expected to initiate corrective measures.