United Hospital: Doctor, 2 nurses left soon after fire started

Rather than taking any step to take the Covid-19 patients to safety and douse the fire at the United Hospital's isolation unit, an on-duty doctor and two nurses left the spot. Only a cleaner tried to fight the fire, but his efforts went in vain, leaving five patients dead.

A three-member police investigation team, led by Abdul Ahad, additional deputy commissioner (Gulshan division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, shared the findings with The Daily Star yesterday.

There were two parts in the isolation unit -- one for patients and another for doctors and nurses. The fire originated from an air-conditioner in the doctor's room, said a member of the team.

When the fire broke out, the duty doctor left the unit immediately and then the two nurses followed the doctor.

The cleaner, Md Arafat, first tried to extinguish the fire with his broom. But it did not work and the fire began to spread.

Arafat then attempted to put out the flames with water. But by then, smoke engulfed the entire unit, said the probe team member.

The team, formed to investigate the fire in the capital's United Hospital on May 27 that killed the five patients, submitted its report to the DMP commissioner on Wednesday, Sudip Chakrabarty, deputy commissioner of Gulshan division police, told this correspondent.

The report would be forwarded to the Police Headquarters soon, he said.

Regarding the findings, DC Sudip, who coordinated the probe, said the hospital authorities built the extension for coronavirus patients without taking permission from the authorities concerned. The unit had no fire safety measures and was built in violation of the Bangladesh National Building Code, he said.

A top official of Gulshan police, who was closely involved in the probe, told this newspaper that they were suspecting that the patients died from suffocation as the unit was filled with toxic gas soon after the fire originated from the AC. They got burnt probably after that, he added.

As the patients had already breathing problems, they died soon after smoke filled the unit, the official said.

Replying to a question, the police officer said in CCTV footage, they did not see any movement of the patients inside the unit except one -- Vernon Anthony Paul -- whose bed was just beside the AC from where the fire originated.

"In the footage, we find that Paul tried to move his hands twice," he added.

Officials involved in the investigation said the isolation unit was supposed to be built with non-flammable materials, but the hospital authorities used flammable ones.

DC Sudip said except cleaner Arafat, nobody came forward first.

"We saw in the CCTV footage that the lower portion of the AC fell on a bed, and Arafat was the only person [apart from patients] present in the unit. Arafat tried to douse the fire with his broom, but it caught fire," he said.

He added that Arafat attempted to fight the fire as long as he could, adding that the cleaner should be awarded for his bravery.

The police officer also mentioned that after the unit was filled with smoke, the other hospital staffers tried to extinguish the blaze with expired fire extinguishers, but to no avail.

Five people who died in the fire were Vernon Anthony Paul, 75, Riyajul Alam, 45, Khadeja Begum, 70, Monir Hossain, 75, and Md Mahabub, 50.

Of them, Vernon Paul and Khadeja tested negative for coronavirus, and they were to be shifted to another section of the hospital.

On June 3, Ronald Ricky Gomez, son-in-law of Anthony Paul, filed a case against the United Hospital authorities and some staffers.

Contacted, Dr Shagufta Anwar, director of communications and business development at United Hospital, declined to comment on the police investigation report.

She said a case was filed in this connection, and the counsel for the hospital was working on this.

"We are not saying anything officially as it may influence the ongoing investigation and the judicial process."