Arifur Rahman Rabbi :
The Fire Service authorities have identified that the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) is highly vulnerable in terms of fire safety as it lacks in fire-fighting measures and training.
The fire-fighting authorities came up with the observations after deadly fire at intensive care unit of COVID-19 unit at the hospital on March 17.
At least three patients died while being evacuated after a fire broke out at the COVID-19 ICU of the DMCH Hospital in the morning.
The health ministry, DMCH and Fire Service had formed separate probe bodies over the incident.
Fire Service Assistant Director (AD) for Dhaka division Saleh Uddin told The New Nation that he is a member of the health ministry probe committee and they had sent an observation report to the ministry formed probe committee recently.
He said that they identified the DMCH as highly vulnerable to fire and the hospital authorities have failed to ensure minimum fire safety.
There were two fire extinguishers outside the COVID-19 ICU at the DMCH building-2, but those were out of order and staff did not even try to use it since they had no basic fire-fighting trainings, observed the report.
Saleh said that the ICU had no emergency evacuation system and consequently mismanagement took place in shifting patients.
‘Since the ICU deals with COVID-19 critical patients, they need high flow of oxygen support which is highly flammable. Such units need extra care and prompt fire-fighting responses. But the hospital have no such measures,’ he said.
The unit’s ceiling was not fire resistance, which is important in hospital infrastructures,
it has no smoke alarm, the unit has signal exit room which was without any emergency evacuation plan, fire service stated in the report.
The fire have originated from a high-flow nasal cannula machine at bed No 12 of the ICU and spread in the unit due to poor immediate fire-fighting response from the hospital staff.
The victim’s families complained of reluctance in carrying out the rescue efforts by the hospital staff. They were not proactive in extinguishing it.
They said that they had some recommendations for COVID-19 ICUs and other infrastructures last year, but DMCH authorities did not implement those.
Most of the patients were evacuated, but one COVID-19 patient was stuck inside the room engulfed with smoke. Firefighters rescued him.
The fire service recommended for a permanent and trained fire-fighting team in the DMCH.
The fire service official said that they sent recommendation and their observation. Now the ministry probe committee is analysing their report and making final the overall report. They have planned to submit the report as early as possible.
When contacted, DMCH Director Brigadier General Nazmul Haque told The New Nation that they would consider the observations and recommendations of the Fire Service and take steps to implement those.
