It is a matter of grave concern that a fire broke out in the cardiac ward of Dhaka Shishu Hospital in the capital’s Agargaon area on Friday afternoon. We are stunned by the fire incident.
The incident also raised questions about how a fire could break out at a hospital, a place where the utmost priority should be the safety and well-being of all occupants. The B-Block of Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital was filled with smoke when panicked parents were evacuating their children to safety during the fire incident, according to media reports.
A relative of a patient had an oxygen cylinder on his shoulder as he was rushing down the stairs. His (relative) niece was receiving treatment on the third floor, but taken outside after the fire started on the fourth floor.
The child needed oxygen support but the main oxygen line closed after the fire incident. However, there was no casualty and major damage caused by the fire.
The hospital did not
have any fire hydrants
or sufficient water reserves
The hospital did not have any fire hydrants or sufficient water reserves. It is such a big hospital, but there were no fire fighting systems in place except fire extinguishers. In 2020, five people, including three confirmed Covid-19 patients, died in the fire that broke out in the capital’s United Hospital.
Friday’s inferno again raised questions about emergency services and safety measures at hospitals. Country’s most of the hospitals and clinics either government or private still remain out of the fire fighting and extinguishing systems.
But the authorities concerned responsible for ensuring fire extinguishing system in the hospials, have not yet taken any effective initiative to this end. The architect, engineer, project director and authortiies concerned will have to keep in their mind the safety and security of the hospitals and clinics first.
Besides, they will have to keep options for firefighting such as spaces of vehicle movement, availability of water etc. While they develop any design alongside having source of water, rainwater harvesting system and water body while establishing any hospital.
Most of the time, the fire fighters could not rescue people due to lack of narrow lane, any strong place or balcony where people could gather. But the authorities do not fulfil their commitments and remain as silent spectators. As they are not paying attention to this serious issue, such incidents are increasing day by day.