A massive fire has broken out at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. The fire has reportedly broken out on the first, second, third and fourth floors of a builing in the PC block of AIIMS Delhi. Initially, the fire was limited to the first two floors.

A total of 34 fire tenders have reached the spot and are trying to douse the flames. Sources say a short circuit caused the fire.

Rescue operations are on. There are no reports of anyone being injured in the fire so far.

Owing to the fire, authorities at AIIMS have closed the emergency department as a precautionary measure. The building that caught fire is located in the teaching block of AIIMS, New Delhi, which is near the emergency department.

Patients who were admitted to the emergency ward have been shifted elsewhere. Patients are being shifted from AB ward (Orthopaedic Unit), after a fire broke out in PC block near the emergency ward

Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal in a tweet said, "The fire in AIIMS building will be brought under control at the earliest.

Fire service trying it's best to extinguish the fire. I appeal to everyone to maintain calm and allow the fire services personnel to do their work (sic)."

A Delhi Fire Services official told news agency PTI that they received a call of fire in the PC and Teaching Block of the hospital at around 5 PM and fire tenders were immediately dispatched to contain it.

Former finance minister Arun Jaitley is admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the cardio-neuro centre. This unit is however housed in a different building in the complex.

India Today

BDST: 2000 HRS, AUG 17, 2019
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