Jabalpur: The building of the New Life Hospital in Jabalpur, which was gutted in a massive blaze on Monday killing at least eight people, was permitted by the authorities while bypassing the fire safety norms thereby putting the authorities in the dock, official documents have revealed. It has been revealed in reply to an RTI application that the building was unfit to be used for a hospital, especially with regard to the safety measures.
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As per the RTI reply, the hospital building had a common entrance and exit in violation of the fire safety norms even as it also lacked the emergency corridor for a fire engine, the RTI has revealed. Despite the lack of basic fire safety measures, the District Chief Health and Medical Officer granted a licence to the hospital in violation of the Upcharyagraha and Rojopachar Rules 1997, Madhya Pradesh Land Development Rules 2012 and National Building Code 2016 Part-3, Part-4.
Eight people, including four patients, were charred to death and five others injured in a major fire that broke out at the hospital on Monday afternoon. Superintendent of Police (SP) Siddharth Bahuguna said that prima facie it appears an electrical short circuit caused the blaze.
