Tamil Nadu Hospital Fire: 6 dead, including a child, after being trapped in elevator

A tragic fire at a private hospital in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul late Thursday night claimed six lives, including those of a child and two women, while leaving several others injured. The incident occurred at the four-story City Ortho Hospital, located on the Dindigul-Trichy National Highway, and is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit.

The blaze started around 9 pm near the hospital's entrance, quickly engulfing the building with thick smoke and flames. Patients and staff were caught off guard as the fire spread rapidly, leading to chaos and panic. Rescue teams managed to evacuate nearly 100 people amidst the harrowing situation.

Five of the victims lost their lives after being trapped in an elevator on the hospital’s ground floor, unable to escape as thick smoke engulfed the area. Preliminary investigations suggest they succumbed to suffocation, though official confirmation from medical authorities is awaited.

The deceased have been identified as Suruli, 50, and his wife Subbulakshmi, 45, a couple from the Theni district; Mariammal, 50, and her son Mani Murugan, 28; Rajasekar, 35; and a six-year-old girl, all from the Dindigul district. Their remains have been sent to the Dindigul Medical College Hospital for postmortem examinations.

Emergency teams, including three fire engines, 50 ambulances, and local police, swiftly responded to the incident. Firefighters worked tirelessly for over two hours to bring the blaze under control, successfully extinguishing it by 11 p.m. Rescue operations resulted in the evacuation of nearly 30 in-patients, 29 of whom were transferred to nearby government and private hospitals. Among the injured, three individuals are reported to be in critical condition and are currently receiving ventilator support at the Dindigul Medical College Hospital.

“We are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the fire, but it is suspected to have started due to a short circuit near the entrance,” said M N Poongodi, the district collector of Dindigul, during a late-night press briefing. “All patients have been rescued and shifted to safety. A medical team from Madurai has been deployed to assist the injured.”