Nana Chowk fire: Suffocation main cause of death

Firefighters at the spot. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Suffocation due to smoke inhalation was the primary cause of casualties, say doctors treating the patients. The fire, which broke out on the 19th floor of a 20-storey building at Nana Chowk, has so far killed six. Twenty-three are being treated in different hospitals. Dr Ramesh Bharmal, Dean of BYL Nair Hospital, where six patients were brought, out of which four succumbed, said, "They died due to suffocation. The remaining two patients are stable and are kept on oxygen. They are under observation."

Bhatia Hospital is presently treating 17 patients, out of which five are said to be critical. Dr Satyadeo Malik, CEO, Bhatia General Hospital, said most of the patients had difficulty in breathing. "They have respiratory problems and difficulty in breathing because of inhalation of smoke. At present, we have six patients in the ICU, out of which two are on ventilators and rest on non-invasive ventilators," he said. Dr Malik added that five patients were treated on OPD basis and discharged. Dr Sunil Keswani, medical director, National Burns Centre, said there are two or three factors that cause the smoke inhalation syndrome, which is common among the burn victims.

"In such incidents, carbonated particles of the smoke enters the body via the nasal route which causes inflammation of the lung passages and blocks them because of which the patient can't breathe," he said. Dr Keswani said as a precaution, one should put a wet handkerchief or cloth on the nose and crawl on the floor while trying to escape. "Particulate matter will not go inside the nose because of the wet cloth on your nose. Smoke rises up. By crawling on the floor, you will inhale less gas and have more time to escape," he said.