Short circuit sparks fire at JP Hospital Bhopal:Smoke fills OPD, panic among patients, surgical items burnt

A sudden fire broke out at JP Hospital in Bhopal on Wednesday afternoon, triggering panic. The incident occurred around 12:15 pm on the first floor of the OPD block. The room where the fire started contained syringes, sample-collection equipment, and other surgical materials. According to staff, smoke was first seen rising from the room, which turned into flames within minutes. Soon the entire OPD block filled with smoke, causing panic among patients and their relatives. Guard breaks lock, douses fire; health deteriorates Guard Haridev Yadav said he received information about the fire at 12:15 pm. The room was currently being used as a store. Smoke was coming from inside, but the door was locked and it took time to find the key. He then broke the lock, entered, and tried to extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher. The flames were controlled after about eight containers were used. He said if they had waited for the fire brigade, which arrived half an hour later, the blaze could have spread further. Yadav added that after putting out the fire he felt faint. Smoke inhalation caused breathing difficulty, so he was immediately given oxygen support. His condition has improved, but he still feels stomach irritation and his eyes keep closing. Thick black smoke spread across premises Eyewitnesses said staff acted quickly when smoke suddenly appeared. Within moments flames were visible. Burning plastic and surgical material produced thick black smoke that spread across the premises. Patients present in the OPD were shifted to a safe place. As a precaution, hospital management immediately cut off the electricity supply. The hospital administration promptly informed the fire brigade, which reached the spot in about 30 minutes. However, by then the fire had already been brought under control. Timely action prevented a major mishap. No casualties have been reported. Old wiring, weak planning also suspected Preliminary investigation suggests a short circuit caused the fire. The wiring where the short circuit occurred was near stored surgical and plastic material, allowing flames to spread quickly. Old wiring and weak planning of the hospital infrastructure are also being considered contributing factors. After the incident, hospital authorities began an inquiry. Experts say sensitive places like hospitals require strict and regular electrical inspections and fire-safety measures. Automatic sprinklers failed Last year, water sprinklers had been installed across the hospital as part of fire-safety arrangements. It had been claimed that even a small fire would be detected and automatically extinguished. However, the latest incident proved those claims wrong. The fire-safety system installed in the hospital was lying inactive, so the incident came to light only after smoke spread. The hospital administration had not yet handed over the system to the agency responsible for operating it. Sources said Civil Surgeon Dr Sanjay Jain was on leave until 22 February but reached the spot after receiving information. He said a letter had been sent regarding the issue and, for now, the agency had been instructed to restart the fire system. Patients and doctors rushed out mid-treatment As smoke spread through the OPD block, patients and doctors rushed outside. Everyone stood outside waiting for the fire to be extinguished. For about 40–45 minutes, the hospital remained in a state of chaos. The main reason behind the fire is being attributed to administrative negligence. Although fire-safety arrangements existed, the system had not been handed over to the operating agency, leaving equipment effectively non-functional. After the incident, a heated argument broke out between the civil surgeon’s office and the agency. The agency demanded formal handover, while the civil surgeon pressed for immediate activation of the system. The agency’s representative said no staff member except a guard was trained to operate it, and without handover, safety improvements would not be possible.