At least 23 patients, including 17 COVID-19 patients, were evacuated to safety following a minor fire at a private hospital in Gujarat's Vadodara city on Wednesday night, officials said.
Nobody was injured in the fire, which engulfed a portion of Shree Vijay Vallabh Sarvajanik Hospital in Mandvi area of Vadodara city, said Vadodara Collector Shalini Agarwal.
"All the 23 patients, including 17 COVID-19 patients, were rescued and shifted to other hospitals following the fire. No injury or casualty was reported in the mishap," she said.
While the blaze started on the first floor of the four-storey hospital, smoke reached the second and the third floors, fire officer Amit Chaudhary said, adding that the Pani Gate fire station of Vadodara received the fire call at 9.05 pm.
"The fire came under control in about one hour. Since thick smoke covered the upper floors, we rescued all the 23 patients and shifted them to other hospitals.
"Since there was only one staircase in the hospital, we used three to four ladders to evacuate some patients from windows. No one was injured in the incident," Mr Chaudhary said.
50 Staff Of Gujarat Hospital Covid Positive Amid Surge In Cases Attend All Patients Reaching Covid Hospitals: Gujarat High Court To State Government 8 Patients Killed In Fire At ICU In Ahmedabad Covid Hospital "Won't Surrender": Dramatic Arrest Of Rajasthan Candidate Who Hit Official No GRAP 3 Anti-Pollution Measures In Smog-Hit Delhi. Minister Explains Why Vivek Ramaswamy's Old Speech Goes Viral Ahead Of 'DOGE' Appointment "Against Bureaucracy Back Then Too": Vivek Ramaswamy Reacts To Viral Speech Boeing To Fire 10% Workforce, 17,000 Employees Set To Be Sacked 'Batenge To Katenge' Slogan Not In Good Taste: BJP Leader Ashok Chavan Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.