Ten Covid-19 patients lost their lives in a fire mishap at a Covid care centre in Vijayawada in the early hours on Sunday.

According to the police, the fire broke out at Hostel Swarna Palace probably due to a short circuit. The hostel was being used as a Covid Care Centre by a Vijayawada-based Ramesh Hospital on lease.

There were 30 Covid-19 patients in the hotel at the time of the mishap, along with 13 others, including medical and support staff, when the mishap happened around 5 AM this morning.  The cause of the mishap is being probed. 

AP Minister Alla Nani said 10 patients died due to suffocation and burns. "We are conducting a high-level review meeting today on the incident and the measures to be taken,'' he told newspersons.

Police, fire fighting and national disaster response teams had taken up rescue operations with personal protections equipment. So, far nine victims have been identified by their family members.

CM announces ex-gratia

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed his  condolences to the families of the deceased in the fire accident.  He has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh to the kin of the deceased.

Reddy had also ordered an 'in-depth probe' into the accident and directed authorities to take steps to ensure better medical services to the victims of the accident. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of the lives in the fire mishap and spoke to the chief minister over phone  and enquired about the accident.

Reddy explained that the fire accident took place in the hotel which was taken on lease and run by a private hospital to treat Covid patients. Modi extended all the possible help and assured support to the families of the victims.

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