Fire at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital leaves patients, relatives fearful; probe committee formed

Fear and panic remain among patients and their relatives at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital following a fire that broke out around 5:55pm yesterday (14 September) in lift No 11 of the hospital, reports Prothom Alo. 

Later, fire service personnel brought the blaze under control around 6:30pm.

Abdul Karim, a patient receiving treatment at the hospital from Kashiganj of Tarakanda upazila, recalled yesterday's incident and told Prothom Alo that after the fire broke out, everyone began shouting and rushing around.

Karim was on the floor at the time. There was a staircase directly in front of him. He went downstairs and found the exit locked. Several people later broke the lock and managed to get out.

He said he still fears what might have happened if they had not been able to escape.

Following the blaze, many patients and relatives rushed down from different floors of the hospital, with some sustaining injuries in the scramble.

Allegations also emerged that four people had died in the incident, but hospital authorities denied the reports.

Hospital Deputy Director Zakiul Islam told Prothom Alo that patients and their relatives went downstairs after the fire broke out. 

Once the fire had been brought under control, they were asked to return to their respective wards, he added.

Meanwhile, an image of a page from the hospital register has been circulating on Facebook following the incident. The information in the register appears to match details of the casualties obtained from the police after the incident.

Mohammad Mainuddin Khan, the hospital's assistant director (administration), told Prothom Alo that the page was from the hospital's register. 

The page contains details of five people. One of them, 50-year-old Jahanara Begum from Fulbaria, is receiving treatment in Ward 10. The names of the other four are marked as "brought dead", meaning they were brought to the hospital after they had already died.

Regarding the deaths of the four people, Mainuddin told Prothom Alo that the doctors found no signs or symptoms on their bodies that would typically be expected in cases of death caused by a stampede. How they died will also be covered by the investigation.

Explaining why the hospital register lists the four people as "brought dead" and records the incident type as "fire accident", Mainuddin said the nurse responsible had entered "fire accident" and included their names in the register to keep track of how many people had come to the hospital after the incident.

He stressed that this did not mean the four people had died in the fire.

However, a five-member committee was formed this morning (15 September) to investigate the fire incident.

Mainuddin confirmed the formation of the committee to Prothom Alo and said Professor Golam Rahman Bhuiyan, head of the hospital's medicine department, had been appointed its convener.

"The committee has been instructed to submit its report within three working days," he added.

Two officials from the Public Works Department and a representative from the fire service are also members of the committee.

Mainuddin also said the committee would investigate whether there had been any negligence in connection with the fire in the lift. If anyone is found to have been negligent, the committee will identify those responsible and make necessary recommendations.

"Any other issues that emerge during the investigation will also be taken into consideration," he added.