Kozhikode, May 3: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday termed the incident at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital’s casualty wing as “unfortunate” and said it was something that “should not have happened.”
The controversy erupted after reports emerged that five patients had died during the incident. Former state BJP president K. Surendran has demanded the resignation of Health Minister Veena George, holding her responsible for the alleged lapses.
The local police have registered a case of unnatural death, and hospital authorities have announced that post-mortems will be conducted on all five bodies. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. on Friday, when smoke billowed from the casualty wing of the seven-storey hospital building following a short circuit.
Around 200 patients were present in the building at the time, with about 40 in the casualty wing. Emergency operations to evacuate and shift patients were undertaken, and the relocation was completed within a few hours.
Hospital authorities have maintained that the deaths were unrelated to the smoke. However, Wayanad Congress legislator T. Siddique claimed that three of the five patients died after inhaling smoke and alleged a lack of timely medical attention.
Chief Minister Vijayan said, “Something that should not have happened has taken place. The Electrical Inspectorate will investigate the cause. Health Minister Veena George will visit the hospital later today.”
The district administration has sealed the affected ward to facilitate a detailed investigation into the short circuit. Siddique has called for a comprehensive probe involving the health department, fire force, and electrical inspectorate.
“This building is just two years old and was constructed at a cost of Rs 190 crore. There appear to be technical flaws in its design — patients had to be rescued by breaking down doors. Every aspect must be probed,” Siddique said.
While hospital authorities claim four patients died before the smoke incident and the fifth was brought dead, Siddique disputed this, citing the case of 44-year-old Nazeera from Wayanad. Her relatives alleged that she was removed from a ventilator and shifted amid the smoke, leading to her death.
Health Minister Veena George has ordered an investigation into the incident, to be headed by the Director of Medical Education. Meanwhile, 34 patients from the casualty wing have been shifted to other hospitals in the area. Kozhikode Medical College Hospital is a major public sector institution serving patients from Kozhikode, Wayanad, and Malappuram districts.
Angry BJP workers staged a protest outside the Principal’s office. Surendran criticised the state’s health system, calling it a failure. “Kerala is often praised for its healthcare system, but five precious lives were lost. Veena George must take moral responsibility and resign,” he said.
IANS