98 percent hospitals at fire risk: Fire service Director General

Ninety-eight percent of hospitals were built without mandatory fire-safety clearance and those are now posing a serious threat, said Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brigadier General Ali Ahmed Khan.

He came up with the statement while addressing a view exchange titled "Upgradation of fire safety system in hospitals" on Wednesday.

He said: "The recent fire incident at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital was actually a wake-up call. These types of establishments have been in operation for years without any fire safety system."

"None of the patients, their attendants or the hospital staffers have any clear idea about what to do during the emergency period. They don't have any training on how to escape the spot safely and moreover most the hospitals don't have narrow and faulty entrance and exit points," he added.

Source: Kaler Kantho