This story is from January 12, 2021

Bhandara hospital fire may have started in radiant warmer calibrated 3 months ago

The fire, which claimed the lives of ten babies, likely started from one of the ten radiant warmers in the Sick Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU) at Bhandara District General Hospital, said sources. Faber Sindoori Management Service Private Limited of Pune had recalibrated these radiant warmers just three months ago.
Bhandara hospital fire may have started in radiant warmer calibrated 3 months ago
NAGPUR: The fire, which claimed the lives of ten babies, likely started from one of the ten radiant warmers in the Sick Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU) at Bhandara District General Hospital, said sources. Faber Sindoori Management Service Private Limited of Pune had recalibrated these radiant warmers just three months ago.
Bhandara police on Monday directed biomedical engineers of Faber to come for statement.
Accordingly, the private agency’s sub regional operational head Pawan Meshram from Nagpur and three biomedical engineers from Bhandara went and gave their statements.
Apart from the six-member government committee, electrical wing of state’s Public Works Department (PWD), National Fire Service College (NFSC) and VNIT have reportedly completed preliminary inspection to identify the cause of fire and various issues.
Sources from one of these government agencies told TOI preliminary investigation revealed fire started from one of the 10 radiant warmers in which babies were undergoing treatment. One radiant warmer was damaged to a great extent along with two adjacent to it. The remaining seven radiant warmers were not damaged due to the fire.
The plug and socket of the radiant warmer where the fire likely started were intact, said sources. Plug and socket would have been burned if there had been electric short circuit and then fire reached the radiant warmer. This indicates less chance of electric short circuit in wiring at SNCU. Exact picture will become clear only after completion of entire investigations, said the sources.
The officials of these government agencies refused to share findings of preliminary investigation on record.

The fire had broken out in SNCU at around 1.30am on January 9. After the incident, Bhandara civil surgeon had given an official statement that three-four babies were charred to death due to fire and remaining casualties happened due to cut in oxygen supply.
Under National Health Mission, the government had appointed Faber Sindoori for preventive maintenance and calibration of all biomedical equipment, including radiant warmers, in government hospitals in the state for five years.
The officials of Bhandara district general hospital said the private agency had completed preventive maintenance of biomedical equipment, including these particular 10 radiant warmers, on September 20, 2020. The agency had also calibrated this equipment on October 6, 2020, which they said was valid up to October 5, 2021.
Meshram confirmed to TOI that calibration was done on these equipment on October 6, 2020. “Biomedical engineers ensured calibration of equipment and found no problems. The 35 radiant warmers situated in SNCU were found fit after calibration. This is done once in a year,” he said.
Meshram also said one of the three biomedical engineers of his company is appointed for Bhandara district general hospital.
Directors of two private hospitals in the city said on condition of anonymity that preventive maintenance and calibration is must once in every quarter, especially for radiant warmers.
The six-member committee also reportedly recorded the statements of Faber Sindoori. The committee and police took statements of electricians and other staff of the hospital.
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About the Author
Anjaya Anparthi

Anjaya Rajam Anparthi, 33, is a principal correspondent with The Times of India, Nagpur edition and looking after civic beat. He also likes to write stories from power and mining beats. He is a fond lover of city’s environment and highlight stories related to trees, greenery, rivers, lakes, sewage system, water treatment plants, and pollution-level. The issues related to civic amenities takes him to various parts of the city, slum areas, posh localities and meet citizens, social activists, NGOs, corporators and political leaders. Daylong visit to the NMC’s administrative offices makes him easy in learning various planning and developments of the city. He too likes to visit the developmental projects being undertaken under JNNURM Scheme once in a week. Maintaining a good contact with 145 corporators and officials, he like to highlight various issues related to the city spread in over 217 sq.km.

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