Nims issued a statement confirming the fire in a non-patient care area and said that hospital services remained unaffected
Hyderabad: A minor fire at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims) on Saturday evening triggered panic, especially after claims surfaced on social media alleging firecrackers were found at the scene. The claims were denied by officials.
The fire broke out at around 4.20 pm on the fifth floor of the trauma block. No patient was present at the time, and the fire was contained quickly by fire department personnel who were summoned to the site. No casualties were reported.
The Panjagutta fire station dispatched a five-member crew led by fire officer Bandla Ramesh, equipped with a multi-purpose tender (MPT). Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Ramesh said, “We found that the fire was spreading through electric cables, likely caused by a short circuit.” Though the fire was brought under control swiftly, the rubber insulation from the wiring produced dense smoke, filling the floor.
“Our team used extinguishers to control the fire and clear the smoke,” he added. On the claims about the presence of firecrackers, Ramesh said the team did not find any such items at the site but said that the matter would be looked into.
Nims later issued a statement confirming the fire in a non-patient care area and said that hospital services remained unaffected. The hospital's internal emergency response team, along with fire personnel, contained the situation. The cause has been identified as a probable electrical short circuit, and a detailed inspection is underway. “We remain committed to the safety of our patients and staff,” the statement read.
However, images circulating on social media claiming the presence of firecrackers raised serious questions about patient safety. The potential risk of fire exposure in a medical facility shocked many.
Nims additional superintendent Laxmi Bhasker denied the claims of fire crackers and told Deccan Chronicle: “I was on the spot when the police arrived. After observing the claims, I along with the staff and the fire police officials searched the place but found nothing. The video with firecrackers is clearly misleading, we found no crackers on the scene.”
Panjagutta station house officer B. Shoban confirmed that the Nims had not lodged any complaint and no case was registered.
