The Raksha Health Care hospital in Yelahanka’s Rajanukunte district caught fire on Tuesday morning, but it was unable to spread its deadly flames because nearby residents quickly acted upon noticing smoke coming from the building and went to save the medical personnel. When the fire in the basement was discovered at 8:45 a.m., there were 16 patients and 30 employees in the facility.
The first, second, and third levels were occupied by patients. The heavy smoke made it impossible to see and breathe, and the female employees who were able to escape the basement and ground floor stood outside calling for assistance. Witnesses and rescue operation participants reported that a group of roughly fifteen locals, the majority of whom were in their 20s, sprang into action.
Locals were alerted to the fire by the smoke coming from the building and raced to help the hospital personnel, but the fire that destroyed Raksha Health Care hospital in Yelahanka’s Rajanukunte district on Tuesday morning was unable to contain its deadly flames. When the basement fire in the hospital was discovered at 8:45 a.m., there were 16 patients and 30 staff members present.
First, second, and third levels all had patients. A few female employees who were able to flee the ground floor and basement stood outside calling for assistance as the dense smoke made it difficult to see and breathe. A group of roughly fifteen locals, the majority of whom were in their 20s, sprang into action, according to eyewitnesses and rescue effort participants.
There wasn’t much to see within the building. Additionally, people a foot distant were invisible. The ground level residents were evacuated in some way, but it was difficult to get into the first and second floors.
“The attendants of the patients were screaming for help,” he continued. As soon as we heard them cry, we spread out throughout the first and second floors. To allow the smoke to leave the building, we smashed the glass on the side walls and windows. At the same time, we helped the patients leave by using the ramp on one side of the building, which the medical personnel uses all the time. A few people were carried down on stretchers. Some had their beds taken out as well.
“One of my friends, Sharukh Khan, was admitted to the hospital,” stated Ranganath, a fellow rescuer. When I went to meet him, the basement was on fire. Along with a few others, I helped rescue the patients. We were having a terrible time breathing at one point because our eyes were burning so badly. We were fortunate to save them and escape the building unscathed, even though we had anticipated becoming sick or maybe losing our lives during the rescue effort. Two people who were on ventilators were the last to be taken out, he continued.
Along with calling the fire department and emergency services, the hospital personnel and residents also phoned ambulances from surrounding hospitals. Seven ambulances arrived on the hospital grounds at 9.30 am to transport the patients to other locations. The on-call physician at the moment, Dr. Arya, said to TOI, “I can’t explain what exactly happened.”
However, I was doing rounds on the first floor when the building was filled with smoke. The smoke obscured everything from our view. Thankfully, every single one of the patients was saved. I went to the hospitals and the patients’ homes after the fire was extinguished to see how they were doing.
