National Times Bureau :- Panic struck Amritsar Civil Hospital on Monday morning after a sudden fire broke out in the blood bank area around 7.30 am. The blaze reportedly started in a refrigerator inside the blood bank, believed to have overheated and caught fire. The incident triggered chaos as the children’s ward was located adjacent to the blood bank.
Hospital staff quickly responded, breaking glass windows to prevent smoke accumulation inside the building. Around 15 children from the ward were immediately evacuated and shifted to a safer location.
Using fire extinguishers collected from different floors, the staff managed to control the flames after nearly two hours of continuous effort. It is learnt that the refrigerator self-heated and caught fire, slightly damaging other fridges nearby
Hospital worker Manjinder Singh said the fire spread quickly near the blood bank refrigerator, and children’s lives were at risk. They rushed in, broke the glass, and fought the fire for almost an hour before bringing it under control. No casualties were reported, and all children were moved to safety.