By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, October 18, 2016 : Even as the Odisha police on Tuesday evening arrested four officials of Sum Hospital where a major fire broke out yesterday killing 20 persons and injuring several others, the opposition Congress demanded a judicial probe into the fire incident.

Medical Superintendent Puspa Raj Samantasinghar, Amulya Sahu Electrical Maintenance Engineer, Fire Safety Officer Santosh Das and Junior Engineer (Electrical Maintenance) Malaya Kumar Sahu – all employees of Sum Hospital, were arrested according to Y B Khurania Police Commissioner Twin City Commissionerate of Police.

They have been charged under sections 304, 308, 285 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code after the Directorate of Fire Services filed the FIR at the Khandagiri police station.

However, the SUM Hospital authorities denied that there were lapses on the management’s part.

“We have put four officials under suspension following the fire incident. They have been suspended pending inquiry. However, the suspension does not mean that they are guilty. Only a thorough inquiry would reveal the actual cause of the incident,” said Amit Banerjee, Vice Chancellor of the SUM Hospital and Medical College.

He said the exact reason behind the unfortunate incident will be known only after the investigation committee submits its report.

Banerjee also announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to the kin of each deceased.

He said steps are being taken to provide free treatment to the injured.

Meanwhile, services have resumed at the hospital except in the ICU, dialysis and emergency wards, which were sealed by the state government for investigation, said the Vice Chancellor.

Fire Safety DG Binay Behera, who inspected the fire safety measures of the hospital, informed that a 2013 audit report had found lapses in the fire safety measures.

The audit report had warned the SUM Hospital of lapses and asked it to rectify those. But the hospital did not respond to the Fire Department, said a fire official.

“We will submit a detailed report to the government after the inquiry is done,” said Behera.

Meanwhile, the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) served notices to the state Health Secretary and Director General (Fire Services) to submit a report within three weeks on the fire tragedy at Sum Hospital in which 20 people were killed and several others injured.

The OHRC issued the notices after it registered a suo motu case over the fire accident.

State Congress chief Prasad Harichandan, however, demanded compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased and government jobs for one of their family members.

“Odisha Government learnt nothing from the AMRI hospital fire in 2011 that killed 90 people. Apart from the hospital authorities, both the Chief Minister and the Health minister are responsible for the incident,” said Prasad.

He further questioned the regulatory lapses by the hospital authorities.

“I am surprised to see how a No Objection Certificate (NOC) was issued to a hospital of this scale without fire safety measures. This is gross negligence on parts of the State government,” he added.