Nashik: 22 dead after oxygen tanker leaks at Dr Zakir Hussain Hospital

At least 22 Covid-19 patients died after an oxygen tanker leaked outside a hospital in Maharashtra's Nashik on Wednesday afternoon. The incident took place at Dr Zakir Hussain Hospital. The leakage caused oxygen supply to be halted for nearly 30 minutes.

These patients were on ventilators at a hospital in Nashik have died, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday, adding oxygen leakage at a storage tank could be linked to these fatalities and promised a probe.

"As per the information available with us, the leakage was spotted at the oxygen tank which was supplying oxygen to these patients. The interrupted supply could be linked to the deaths of the patients in the hospital," Tope told reporters.

Firefighters, along with a technical team are present at the spot and the operation to contain the leak is underway. The oxygen tank started leaking around 12 noon today due to which a large amount of oxygen has been wasted. Meanwhile, some patients are feared to be dehydrated due to lack of oxygen.

This is the only covid hospital of the corporation area and about 150 patients are admitted here. Many patients are on oxygen support beds and ventilators. The life of such patients has been endangered due to leakage of oxygen tank and they are being shifted to another hospital with oxygen. 15 Jumbo Oxygen Cylinders from Nashik District Government Hospital are being rushed to Zakir Hussain Hospital to save the lives of patients.