A significant fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday at the BD Pandey District Hospital in Nainital, completely destroying an outhouse garage on the premises. Officials confirmed that there was no loss of life in the incident.
Timeline and Immediate Response
The blaze erupted at around 4:10 am at the rear of the hospital campus. Eyewitnesses reported seeing thick, black smoke billowing from the area before the flames quickly intensified. The structure, a garage constructed from wood and tin, was swiftly engulfed.
Firefighters from the Nainital Fire Station sprang into action immediately after receiving an alert on their mobile data terminal (MDT). A team led by the Fire Station Officer (FSO) reached the spot promptly and managed to extinguish the fire within an hour of their arrival, preventing it from spreading to the main hospital building.
Extent of Damage and Property Lost
The fire caused substantial damage to property stored in the garage. According to initial assessments, three motorcycles and three scooters were completely destroyed in the inferno. The vacant garage itself was also gutted. An investigation into the exact cause of the fire is likely underway.
A Concerning Pattern of Fires in Nainital
This incident marks the third major fire in Nainital in the past three months, raising serious concerns about fire safety in the popular lake town.
On October 21, a devastating fire in the Old London House area destroyed an entire house and claimed the life of an elderly woman.
On December 9, a fire gutted the Saraswati Shishu Mandir school building. The principal and his two children had a narrow escape in that incident.
This repeated pattern underscores the urgent need for enhanced fire safety audits and public awareness campaigns in the region, especially as many structures are old and built with combustible materials.
