22 Die Due to Oxygen Leak at Nashik Hospital
Twenty-two people died after an oxygen tanker leaked outside a hospital in Nashik, Maharashtra. The incident was caused when the supply of oxygen halted for around 30 minutes.
On 21st April, at Nashik’s Dwarka’s Zakir Hussain Hospital there were around 700 patients. There were many patients who were infected with the Coronavirus and were unable to breathe on their own. Many of these patients were on Ventilator or Oxygen support. Patients were being provided oxygen from a white-coloured tank, installed in the hospital premises, via a pipeline. On 21st April, at around 12.20 pm, oxygen was being filled into the tank from a tanker. The oxygen tank suddenly started to leak. Lots of White fumes engulfed the area after the leakage. Because of this leakage, the oxygen supply in the hospital suddenly stopped. Patients began suffocating as they couldn’t breathe without the oxygen. An employee managing the tanker present at the spot and the hospital administration staff tried to stop the leakage. Even the fire brigade reached the hospital to stop the leak.
After a lot of hard work the leak was stopped. But the oxygen supply to the hospital was stopped for 30 minutes. Doctors worked very hard to take care of the patients but 22 patients suffocated and died. An FIR has been registered against unidentified persons. Officials say happened because of "negligence and carelessness"
PM Modi Tweeted about the incident saying:
"The tragedy at a hospital in Nashik because of oxygen tank leakage is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. Condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour," Maharashtra CM has ordered a high level investigation in the incident. Rs 5 lakh will also be given to each of the dead’s family. Another shocking incident occurred in Virar near Mumbai.13 coronavirus patients who were in the ICU have died in a fire at a hospital in Virar. More information is awaited and investigation is going on. The incident has come at a time when Maharashtra and several other states across India have been facing an acute shortage of medical oxygen to treat COVID-19 patients as the number of COVID infections are continuously increasing.
