A significant fire broke out in the microbiology department of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Monday afternoon, completely destroying the HIV viral load office and causing damages estimated at over Rs 1.5 crore.
Incident Details
The blaze erupted around 2:00 PM while an examination was in progress. Students and staff were evacuated immediately. Five fire tenders were deployed, and the fire was brought under control after a concerted effort.
Official Statements
PMCH Superintendent Rajeev Kumar Singh confirmed that the HIV viral load office was completely gutted. “Freezers, air conditioning units, documents, and costly chemicals were destroyed. The loss is estimated at over Rs 1.5 crore. The swift response of the fire department helped avert a major tragedy. A detailed assessment is underway. Initial reports suggest a short circuit as the cause. This incident will disrupt HIV testing, as samples from other districts are analyzed here,” Singh said.
District Fire Commandant Ritesh Pandey noted that the control room received the alert at 2:10 PM. “One fire tender is stationed on campus round the clock, and six more were rushed. Fire safety arrangements on campus are inadequate. This is a sensitive case and will be investigated,” he added.
Recurring Issue
This is the second fire reported in the same department since April, when equipment, machines, and documents were damaged. Another fire had earlier broken out in the old building of PMCH’s obstetrics and gynecology department during the shifting of materials.
