Pune, Nov 6 (PTI) An inquiry committee has been constituted to find out the cause of the fire that killed 11 COVID-19 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Ahmednagar district civil hospital in Maharashtra, Union minister Bharati Pawar said on Saturday.

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After visiting the hospital in the afternoon, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare said a total of 17 patients were admitted to the ICU for COVID-19 treatment.

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"After the fire broke out, these patients were shifted. However, 11 patients lost their lives. I condole these deaths. I have met six patients who are undergoing treatment and their relatives. An inquiry committee has been appointed. Once the committee files a report, the picture will become clear," she told reporters.

Responding to a query, Pawar said the Central government sends instructions regarding the fire safety audit (to hospitals) regularly.

"We are awaiting reports. Accordingly, action will be taken against the guilty," she said.

A senior fire officer had said that a short circuit was suspected to be the cause though it was yet to be confirmed.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)