Pune, Apr 21 (UNI) At least 22 Covid-19 patients, who were on life support system, died in Nashik’s Dr Zakir Hussain Hospital on Wednesday owing to acute shortage of oxygen following massive leakage of the gas from an oxygen tank.
As per sources, the mishap occurred sometime around noon, when massive leakage from an oxygen storage tank caused disruption in supply of oxygen for at least half-an-hour, allegedly resulted in the deaths of several patients who were on ventilator support.
A Fire Brigade team was rushed to the hospital to contain the leak.
Soon after the incident, chaotic scenes erupted at the hospital premises as fraught relatives of patients converged upon the scene of the tragedy.
Irate kin of the victims accused the Nashik Municipal Corporation authorities of not giving them proper information on the mishap.
Attributing the cause of the tragedy to a valve malfunction in the oxygen storage tank, State Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that a probe to ascertain negligence into the incident has been ordered.
At the time of the incident, 157 patients were undergoing treatment at the hospital, of whom 61 were in a critical condition and required oxygen, Mr Tope said.
Local Shiv Sena leader Sudhakar Badgujar, who was among the first to reach the spot of the accident, feared that the death toll may rise higher.
Acknowledging the anger and grief of relatives of the deceased, Nashik district collector Suraj Mandhare urged people to maintain restraint and assured that the incident will be probed thoroughly.
He said that oxygen was present in the tank at the time of the leakage.
“This tank was of a private vendor. Apparently technicians tried to fix the valve, when low pressure caused the leakage. This led to the deaths of 22 critical patients who were on ventilator support. My deepest condolences to the kin of the deceased,” he said.
“Currently, other patients are being supplied oxygen from a repaired tank. They are in a stable condition, as per medical authorities,” Mr Mandhare added.
BJP's Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council, Pravin Darekar blamed Nashik civic body authorities for negligence and demanded a case of culpable homicide against the NMC commissioner.
“One cannot pin the blame for this tragedy just on mere technicians. The NMC authorities and the state government is equally blamed for this,” he added.
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