Lok Sabha Question No. 4249 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-07
Subject: Fire Accident in ESIC Hospital in Mumbai
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, SUDHEER GUPTA, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., ANJU BALA, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav, L.R. Shivaramegowda

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4249

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.01.2019

## FIRE ACCIDENT IN ESIC HOSPITAL IN MUMBAI

## 4249. SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

SHRI L.R. SHIVARAME GOWDA:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRIMATI ANJU BALA:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)whether a massive fire swept through the Government-run ESIC Kamgar Hospital located in Marol, Mumbai recently and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)the number of persons died and injured in the said fire accident;
- (c)whether the Government has conducted any inquiry in this regard;
- (d)if so, the details thereof and the time by which the inquiry report is likely
- to be submitted to the Government;
- (e)whether the hospital has been operating without No Objection Certificate for fire and if so, the details thereof and the action taken in this regard;
- (f)whether the Government has announced compensation for kin of victims who lost their life and the injured persons and if so, the details thereof; and
- (g)the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  avoid  such  type  of incidents in future?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

- (a): A fire accident took place on 17/12/2018 at about 4:00 PM in ESIC run Hospital situated at Andheri (E), Mumbai.  As per initial inquiry by local officials, the cause of fire is reported to be  ignition of stored construction materials in an under-construction building (new Operation Theatre Block) of mainly  synthetic  insulation  materials  used  for  thermal  insulation  of  HVAC ducts & pipes either through loose live electrical cable/wire or welding being done by construction workers nearby.  Thick streams of toxic smoke gushed through the available openings & passages into the adjacent running hospital building which resulted into panic/ stampede and asphyxiation.

- (b): As  per  information  available,  11  persons  died,  27  seriously injured and 122 injured  in the said fire accident.
- (c) & (d): A Committee constituted by Hon'ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra visited ESIC Model Hospital cum Occupational Diseases Centre (ODC), Andheri premises on 03.01.2019. No report has been received, as yet.
- Further, Medical Superintendent, Andheri Hospital has lodged FIR with  Maharashtra  police.  Matter  is  under  investigation  and  investigation report is also still awaited.
- (e): Provisional  Fire  NOC  for  both  old  hospital  building  and  new buildings ( IPD & OPD Block, Staff Housing, PG Hospital etc. ) have been duly issued by the concerned fire Officer of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) on 14/08/2018 and this NOC was valid till 13/08/2019.
- (f): The Chairman, ESI Corporation has approved ex-gratia compensation of Rs. 10.00 lacs each to the families of those who died, Rs. 2.00 Lacs each to those seriously injured and Rs. 1 Lac each to those who have suffered minor injuries.
- (g): Detailed  instructions  have  already  been  issued  by  ESIC  Head Quarters  to  all  Medical  Superintendents,  Regional  Directors,  Deans  of Medical  Colleges  etc. to immediately  take  all  measures  to  make  all Hospitals, Dispensaries, Offices, Staff Quarters etc. fully compliant from fire safety angles by way of putting/installing, if  required,  additional  fire  safety equipment, accessories and plants etc.  All Estate Officers of ESIC have been further directed to conduct fire drills periodically so as to ensure that the fire safety equipments, accessories and plants as well as evacuation mechanism etc. are in full preparedness.

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