A fire that broke out at Khulna City Medical College Hospital on Thursday night was fully extinguished by midnight after nearly two and a half hours of firefighting efforts, while more than 250 patients were safely evacuated and transferred to other healthcare facilities.
Firefighters also completed rescue operations at the hospital by around 3:00am, with no casualties reported.
Hospital Administrative Officer Abdul Hamid said no patients were injured in the incident, adding that authorities took all necessary measures to ensure their safety while the blaze was being brought under control.
More than 250 patients were admitted to the hospital at the time of the fire, he said. Seven critically ill patients were transferred to Ad-din Hospital, while the remaining patients were moved to several nearby facilities, including Islami Hospital and Gazi Medical College Hospital.
Hospital services have been suspended following the incident. Authorities are currently assessing the extent of the damage and investigating the cause of the fire, Hamid added.
Khulna Fire Service Senior Station Officer Arif Ul Islam said 12 firefighting units were deployed to tackle the blaze. The fire was brought under control at around 10:30pm and completely extinguished by midnight.
According to eyewitnesses and Fire Service officials, the fire broke out at around 9:35pm. As thick smoke spread through the building, patients and their attendants rushed to safety, triggering scenes of panic. Some evacuated to the ground floor, while others moved to higher levels of the building.
Firefighters responded swiftly and managed to contain the blaze before it could spread further, ensuring the safe evacuation of all patients from the facility.
