Fire in Gujarat hospital: PM Cares fame ventilator explodes; 39 patients have narrow escape

After a video footage of fire breaking out inside an intensive care unit in Gujarat's prominent public hospital was widely circulated, reports revealed that fire was caused not due to short circuit but because of the Dhaman ventilator inside the ICU. 

The fire broke out in one of the ICU wards on the first floor of the Covid-19 isolation building, fire officials said. Though no one was injured, all 39 patients from the ICU ward were evacuated.

The incident emerged in the ICU-1 located on the first floor of the COVID-19 isolation building in SSG Hospital in Vadodara where the blast inside a ventilator was witnessed following which the fire caused panic among the hospital staff and patients. Even though the fire spread in the ICU, the staff rescued the patients which prevented a major catastrophe 

Blaze caused due to ventilator says Police, forensic investigation reports awaited

As the video of the blast surfaced it was said that a mere short circuit in the plug or the electric installation. Later reports revealed that the ventilator with 'Dhaman' logo on it was the cause of the blast.

A source reportedly said, "It was provided to us as an upgraded version, but the same ventilator caused this incident." 

In-charge chief fire officer Parth Brahmbhatt said to TOI, "It is a possibility that the ventilator caught fire due to heating. But the exact reason can be known only after the forensic investigation is done."

The ventilator was completely destroyed in the fire but the sample has been taken for further investigation. 

What do we know about PM Cares fame Dhaman ventilators?

Amidst the growing issue of procurement of sub-standard ventilators, the Dhaman-1 ventilators have come under the scanner before. Previously, the Gujarat government stated that the ventilator 'Dhaman-1' gifted by the Rajkot manufacturers, fulfilled all the parameters and have performed satisfactorily in treating Covid-19 patients in the state.

The government also claimed that looking at the quality and affordable prices, other states had also placed orders for procuring 'Dhaman-1' for their health care.