Hospital Fire Incidents: Challenges and Solutions in a Developing Nation

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare facilities across the globe were overwhelmed by the sudden influx of patients requiring urgent care, and hospitals had to rapidly adapt to this unprecedented crisis. In India, there was a sharp rise in burn disasters in COVID care centers and intensive care units (ICUs), where the mortality rate in these incidents was high. These tragedies were not isolated events but occurred frequently across different regions, underscoring the vulnerability of healthcare infrastructure to fire hazards. Despite the numerous fire accidents that took place in hospitals and ICUs, many of the underlying causes and deficiencies remain unaddressed. By analyzing the information in this study, we aim to identify the potential causes of these disasters and modifications that can be applied thereafter. Recognizing the need to address this issue, we have undertaken a comprehensive collection of data on major burn accidents in hospitals across India since the onset of the COVID pandemic. All the data were collected and arranged sequentially. The data were scrutinized for location, timing, mortality, number of people rescued, and cause of fire. These data provide valuable insights into the frequency, locations, and circumstances of these incidents. Comparative analysis of the data of the fire disasters in medical facilities of India with that of the developed countries reveals that fire hazards in medical institutions are largely preventable.