Siliguri, West Bengal:
Oxygen leakage at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri was a cause of concern among COVID-19 patients and their families this morning, officials said.
The incident happened around 9:15 am when the leakage was detected in a pipe supplying oxygen to the Critical Care Unit (CCU) at the COVID-19 block, hospital superintendent Dr Sanjay Mallick told news agency Press Trust of India.
The oxygen clouded the room where the leak was detected, and became a cause of concern for patients who thought that a fire may have broken out.
COVID-19 patients started running out amid the chaos, while large number of people, including their family members, gathered outside the block, reported news agency PTI.
Soon, the fire brigade was informed and two fire engines were sent from the Matigara fire station, officials told Press Trust of India.
The situation was brought under control after stopping the oxygen supply for some time, they said.
“There were seven patients in the Critical Care Unit at that time. They were safely evacuated to another block,” Dr Mallick said.
“No one was injured and no other sorts of damage were reported due to the incident,” officials said.
“The leakage was repaired and normalcy returned,” they added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)