Fire investigation committee finds ‘negligence’ of United Hospital authorities
The committee has taken statements from 20 people, including family members of the victims, eyewitnesses, on-duty doctors and nurses, security guards and officials of the Power Division
The investigation committee of the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence has found evidence of negligence of united Hospital authorities in the fire that killed five people in its coronavirus unit on May 27.
The hospital also did not have adequate firefighting equipment at hand when the fire broke out, the investigation report reads.
A source on the investigation committee said they have taken statements from 20 people, including family members of the victims, eyewitnesses, doctors and nurses on duty in the isolation unit at the time of the incident, security guards and officials of the Power Division.
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"We found evidence of indifference and negligence of United Hospital during our investigation. This will be included in the report," said Debashish Vardhan, deputy director of the fire service and head of the probe committee.
The report will also include the details of the hospital's firefighting system and what measures they took to tackle the blaze, he added.
"We will submit the report to the home ministry within a day or two, specifying the exact cause of the fire. It started from an old air conditioner unit. The report will contain all the details, along with some recommendations for United Hospital," said Debashish.
After the fire broke out, United Hospital authorities said it had been caused by a short circuit. However, none of the power division officials questioned by the committee found evidence of a short circuit.
Also, almost all the eyewitnesses said they saw smoke coming out of the air-conditioner before the fire broke out.
Although United Hospital authorities filed an unnatural death lawsuit regarding the incident, the family of victim Vernon Anthony Paul filed a "negligent death" lawsuit against the hospital.
United hospital's chairman, managing director, CEO, director, and doctors, nurses and security officers present at the coronavirus unit at the time of the incident have been accused in the case.
A police investigation committee has also already taken the testimony of 25 people regarding the incident.
