Panic spread among the people as a fire broke out in the emergency unit of the state’s largest government hospital Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences this afternoon following a short circuit.

However, prompt action by the medical staff prevented any major damage as the doctors, nurses, trolley-men and others joined hands and shifted all the patients out of the emergency ward. Fire extinguishers were used to douse the flames. Post the incident the entry of the patients was stopped. After the officials of RIMS management inspected the spot and ordered repair of all the faulty wires and cleaning of the ward was done were the seriously injured patients allowed in the emergency ward.

A few days earlier the registration counter at the hospital had also caught fire while on a previous occasion the physiotherapy department was engulfed in flames. Sources claimed that since the hospital came into existence its electric wires have not been changed which are now leading to frequent incidents.