At least two persons have reportedly perished and around 73 evacuated after a major fire engulfed the Sunrise Hospital located within the Dreamz Mall in Mumbai's Bhandup, early on Friday, officials said. The blaze was noticed around midnight on the first floor and quickly spread to the two upper floors of the 3-storied mall which houses the Covid-19 hospital on the top floor. The hospital, however, said there was no casualty due to fire, officials had earlier told reporters that two bodies were found.
Mumbai Fire Brigade and disaster teams rushed to combat the blaze and to rescue and transfer the Covid patients to other hospitals in the vicinity. The fire broke out at midnight at around 12:30 AM. The officials have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire. It is informed that there were 70 Covid infected patients admitted to the hospital at the time of the incident.
At least 10 fire-tenders were battling the blaze till this morning and top officials including Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani, top fire brigade, police and civic officials rushed to the spot.
The Sunrise Hospital in a statement said: "There was a fire on the first floor of Dreams Mall, Bhandup, and the smoke reached up to the Sunrise Hospital located at the top floor. All fire alarms beep and hence all patients were safely evacuated due to the smoke to the fire refuge area. There were two dead bodies (due to Covid), which were also evacuated. There was no casualty due to fire."
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Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar had told the media that it is the first time he has seen a hospital in a mall and it's a serious situation. “Seven patients were on ventilators. 70 patients have been taken to another hospital. There will be an investigation to confirm the cause of the fire."
The patients were shifted to the jumbo Covid field hospital in Mulund and Fortis Hospital.