New Delhi - A major fire outbreak occurred on the second floor of the teaching block within the premises of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the capital city on Saturday evening. While there were no reported casualties, the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) promptly dispatched 42 fire tenders and 200 firefighters to combat the flames. The fire rapidly extended to the third, fourth, and fifth floors of the block, and substantial progress in extinguishing the fire was made by 11 pm.

Fire Chief Atul Garg revealed, "A call was received at 4.50 pm; by 6.25 pm, the fire on the second and third floors had been brought under control. The fire broke out in the teaching block, which houses numerous doctors' offices and teaching labs." The precise cause of the fire is expected to be ascertained once cooling operations are concluded.

Rajinder Atwal, Additional Divisional Officer at DFS, explained, "The fire spread to the fourth and fifth floors through the shaft where the electric cables are."

Amidst the blaze that persisted for hours, panic swept through the hospital, leading to the evacuation of patients from the emergency department to Safdarjung Hospital, as disclosed by a source at AIIMS. Subsequently, patients from other wards were also relocated.

Around 9.30 pm, two teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived at AIIMS. These teams, totaling around 70 personnel, were deployed as a precaution due to the potential structural weakening caused by the extensive fire. P K Srivastava, NDRF commandant, highlighted the importance of preparedness in case of further evacuation needs due to the hospital's inflammable chemical presence.

AIIMS officially reported, "There has been no loss or damage to life. As a precautionary measure, patients admitted in the adjoining AB Wing were relocated to other wings. They will be moved back by tomorrow." The statement also mentioned that Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan oversaw the firefighting efforts on-site and emphasized patient care. Vardhan emphasized the necessity for a specialized fire audit of the hospital.

Dr Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS, clarified that no fire occurred within any patient ward, but the emergency lab was affected. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his confidence in controlling the AIIMS fire in a tweet, stating, "The fire in AIIMS will be brought under control at the earliest. Fire Service trying its best to extinguish the fire."