A 66-year-old woman was killed and 16 others injured after an explosion in an air-conditioning unit triggered a fire at a private hospital in Dehradun on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at Panacea Hospital near Rispana Bridge at around 9:35 am, and the deceased was identified as Veeravati.
At the time of the incident, 14 patients were admitted in the hospital, out of which at least four to five people were admitted in the ICU.
Preliminary findings suggested a short circuit as the cause of the fire.
Teams from the district administration, police, fire services, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) took part in the rescue operation.
They recovered around seven attendants, staff and others trapped in the premises, and transferred all patients to nearby facilities.
Critically ill patients were prioritised for transfer, officials said.
Veeravati's death was prima facie caused by inhalation of smoke, and she was on a ventilator, said an official.
Three personnel from the police and fire services were injured during the rescue, he added.
The district administration has ordered a detailed probe into the cause of the fire.
