Health Minister Orders Fire Safety Inspections in Telangana Hospitals

Hyderabad: Health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha directed officials to ensure strict adherence to fire safety regulations in hospitals. He ordered inspection of fire safety standards in government hospitals and preparation of detailed reports on the matter.

In a review of fire safety measures in hospitals on Saturday, following the death of infants at a hospital fire in Jhansi of Uttar Pradesh, the minister instructed the officials to form 10 teams to begin inspections at major state hospitals. Officials were tasked with checking the presence of fire alarms and smoke detectors and verifying the adequacy and expiry dates of fire extinguishers. The minister emphasised that hospital security and staff must be trained in fire safety and the use of firefighting equipment.

He also directed the examination of hospital power supply systems and the replacement of outdated electrical cables with high-quality ones. The installation of "Do's and Don’ts" signboards regarding fire safety and short circuits was also mandated.

The minister advised hospital authorities to maintain regular contact with nearby fire station personnel, conduct mock drills, develop a fire evacuation plan, train personnel on it and display signboards.