Minor Release Of Oxygen At Civic-Run Hospital In Pune District: Official

A "minor" release of oxygen occurred due to excess pressure during replenishment at an oxygen plant of Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) in Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune district on Wednesday evening, officials said.

According to the officials from the Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body, since there was a safety mechanism in place, no damage or actual leakage took place from the medical oxygen plant at the municipal-run hospital.

"Around 7.30 pm, when liquid medical oxygen was being filled in one of the tanks at YCMH, there was a minor release of pressure due to fluctuation in pressure of the tank. Safety valve, which is there to operate and release the excess pressure, got damaged. However, an alternate safety valve was put to use immediately," said Mr Rajesh Patil, Commissioner, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.

He said since a safety mechanism was in place, there was no "damage" or "actual leakage" of oxygen from the tank.

Mr Patil added YCMH has 300 patients at present and the facility has one and half hours of manifold backup (of oxygen).

The tank in question was supplying oxygen to 30-bed ICU and one floor of the hospital having 100 patients, he said.

"The oxygen facility was audited by the biomedical department of the College of Engineering, Pune, (COEP) and all patients and tanks are safe. I personally visited the plant and confirmed it.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)