Fire at Kozhikode Medical College

Thiruvananthapuram: Three days after smoke at the government medical college hospital at Kozhikode in Kerala triggered panic, a fire broke out on the sixth floor of the same building on Monday.

The back-to-back incidents had raised many eyebrows, especially since the incidents took place at a new building that was constructed by spending Rs. 195 crore and opened in 2023.

The incident took place around 2 pm at the operation theatre complex while work to make the operational theatre functional was progressing. There were no patients on the floor. Patients on adjacent floors were immediately shifted. No casualties were reported.

A smoke spread in the casualty wing of the hospital on Friday night. Though there were suspicions that five deaths in the casualty during that time were due to inhaling smoke, postmortem examination had ruled out the allegation.

Health Minister Veena George said that in view of the incident on Saturday, directions were given to carry out an inspection of the entire building. A total fire audit would be held, she said.