Power outage hits Pune ESIC hospital, patients left in heat for hours

Patients endure sweltering heat during a four-hour outage on Friday. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Nearly 40 patients at Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospital in Mohannagar, Chinchwad, were left without electricity for over four hours on April 17, forcing them to endure extreme heat without fans or ventilation - even as Pune recorded temperatures above 41 degrees C on Friday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave alert for Maharashtra, warning of a further rise in temperatures and advising strict precautions, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and hospitalised patients.

Power outage

The outage began around 3:30 pm and lasted till at least 7:30 pm (with power yet to be restored), leaving wards without fans, lights, or cooling.

Patients undergoing treatment lay in stifling conditions as the heat intensified through the afternoon, with no backup power available.

Relatives seeking answers were told that generator installation work was underway, raising concerns over the hospital's preparedness during peak summer.

Authorities unavailable

Hospital authorities were unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts by this newspaper.