At least 40 patients and their relatives were injured while rushing to evacuate Rangpur Medical College Hospital after a fire broke out due to a short circuit on Thursday morning.
The fire originated from a switchboard near the administrative section of the hospital’s electrical control room on the ground floor around 6:15am.
Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control, but the hospital remained without electricity for six hours, triggering panic among patients and their attendants.
The power outage disrupted medical services, forcing the suspension of emergency surgeries and other treatments. Although partial power was restored to several wards after prolonged efforts, the nephrology, cardiology, gynaecology and kidney dialysis wards remained without electricity.
According to patients, hospital authorities and fire service officials, panic spread throughout the hospital as patients and their relatives rushed to leave the building. Those staying in wards on the second to fifth floors hurried down the stairs, with many falling and sustaining injuries. At least 40 people were injured in falls during the rush to evacuate the hospital.
As of 4pm, the offices of the hospital director, cardiology department, pathology ward, dermatology and venereology ward, kidney dialysis ward and nephrology ward remained without electricity, leaving patients struggling in the intense heat.
During a visit to the hospital, patients described the chaos surrounding the evacuation.
Shafiul Alam, a kidney patient receiving treatment in the second-floor nephrology ward, was being carried downstairs when his two nephews fell and were injured. Shafiul was also hurt in the incident.
At least 15 patients in the ward were injured while rushing downstairs, with some reportedly trampled in the crowd.
Several infants were also injured as patients and their attendants rushed down the stairs from the third-floor gynaecology ward with newborns.
Mamtaz Begum, a patient in the gynaecology ward, said her baby girl was born five days ago. After hearing about the fire, she rushed downstairs with her newborn and was injured during the evacuation.
Many others used the emergency exit stairs to escape, with several sustaining injuries in the rush.
Deputy Director of Rangpur Medical College Hospital Dr Md Abdul Mokaddem said the fire was caused by a short circuit.
“Efforts are underway to restore electricity to all wards,” he said.