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{{short description|Fire in Andhra Pradesh, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox event
|title=2020 Vijayawada fire
|map={{Infobox mapframe
|marker=building
|zoom=12
|coord={{coord|16.5128|N|80.6231|E|display=inline}}}}
|image=
|image_size=
|caption=
|time=
|date={{start date|df=yes|2020|8|9}}
|place=[[Vijayawada]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], India
|coordinates=
|also known as=
|cause=Electrical short-circuit in air conditioner
|reported deaths=11
|reported injuries=22
|missing=
|reported property damage=
|suspects=
}}
On 9 August 2020, a major fire broke out in early morning hours (around 5am [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]) at a [[COVID-19]] facility located at the [[Hotel Swarna Palace]] in the city of [[Vijayawada]], in the state of [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Deadly fire at coronavirus facility in south India|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/deadly-fire-coronavirus-facility-south-india-200809064454139.html|access-date=2020-08-09|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref> The fire blaze killed 11 people and wounded a further 22.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-08-09|title=Fire at Indian Covid facility kills at least 10|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53706634|access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Reuters|date=2020-08-09|title=Blaze Kills at Least 10 in Indian Coronavirus Centre|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/08/09/world/asia/09reuters-health-coronavirus-india-fire.html|access-date=2020-08-09|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The hotel was used as a temporary COVID-19 facility as it was leased out by the private hospital [[Ramesh Hospitals|Ramesh Hospitals Vijayawada]] for the purpose of treating infected COVID-19 patients.<ref>{{Cite web|title=10 Dead In Fire At Hotel Used As Covid Care Facility In Andhra|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/fire-breaks-out-at-hotel-used-as-covid-19-care-facility-in-andhra-pradesh-news-agency-ani-2276553|access-date=2020-08-09|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> An electrical short circuit was described as the ultimate reason for the incident.<ref>{{Cite web|last=ANI|title=Cause of Vijayawada hotel fire appears to be short circuit, says preliminary report|url=http://businessworld.in/article/Cause-of-Vijayawada-hotel-fire-appears-to-be-short-circuit-says-preliminary-report/09-08-2020-306626|access-date=2020-08-09|website=BW Businessworld|language=en}}</ref> The fire had been brought under control by the firefighters within a space of 30 minutes. The patients who survived from the fire blaze were transferred to another quarantine centre.

== Background ==
India has recorded numerous cases related to fire accidents in the history mainly due to lack of safety facilities and inadequate fire extinguishers. The [[Visakhapatnam gas leak]], the [[Delhi factory fire]], and the [[Delhi hotel fire]] were the country's worst fire accidents in the recent times. India is currently the second worst affected country in the world due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] and the fire incident has posed further burden and humiliation to the healthcare sector impacted by the [[COVID-19 pandemic in India]].

== Incident ==
The fire blaze erupted at the Vijayawada coronavirus hotel facility killing around 11 COVID-19 patients, injuring 22 others.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-09|title=10 dead in fire at coronavirus facility in Vijayawada hotel|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/andhra-pradesh-vijayawada-hotel-fire-live-updates-coronavirus-facility-death-toll-6546802|access-date=2020-08-09|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Srikanth |last=Aluri |title=Vijayawada Fire Accident Today: 11 killed in fire at Vijayawada hotel used as Covid facility |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vijayawada/10-killed-in-fire-at-vijayawada-hotel-being-used-as-covid-facility/articleshow/77441049.cms|date=2020-08-09|access-date=2020-08-09|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> The fire broke out initially in the first floor and second floor before spreading quickly to third and fifth floors. It was reported that two patients who were panickingly rushed, screamed for help and jumped from the hotel terrace to escape from the blaze.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Srinivas|first=Rajulapudi|date=2020-08-09|title=Vijayawada fire {{!}} Patients jumped off second floor to escape from building|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/vijayawada-fire-patients-jumped-off-second-floor-to-escape-from-building/article32309481.ece|access-date=2020-08-09|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Nine patients died due to suffocation caused by fire blaze and one reportedly died succumbing to burn injuries.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Srinivas|first=Rajulapudi|date=2020-08-09|title=Vijayawada fire {{!}} 10 dead in private COVID-19 care centre blaze, CM announces ex gratia|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/many-feared-dead-as-fire-breaks-out-in-vijayawada-private-covid-19-care-centre/article32308143.ece|access-date=2020-08-09|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> There were a total of about 30 patients being treated for COVID-19 along with ten hospital staff prior to the incident.

== Development ==
Ramesh Hospitals Vijayawada branch had [[Memorandum of understanding]] agreement with the Swarna Palace Hotel to run and maintain a COVID-19 centre on a lease basis. It was revealed that the COVID-19 centre was opened in the Swarna Palace on 9 August 2020 and on the same day itself a fire broke out due to electrical defects.<ref>{{Cite web|first=U. Sudhakar |last=Reddy |title=Vijayawada fire: Police file FIR against Ramesh Hospital and Swarna Palace hotel |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/vijayawada-fire-police-file-fir-against-ramesh-hospital-and-swarna-palace-hotel/articleshow/77444129.cms|date=2020-08-09|access-date=2020-08-09|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> A FIR was also filed against both the Ramesh Hospitals and the Swarna Palace for the possible acknowledgment regarding the electrical defects before establishing the COVID-19 centre.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-09|title=Andhra Pradesh: FIR registered in Vijayawada fire incident|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/andhra-pradesh-fir-registered-in-vijayawada-fire-incident/story-WnXY0CaSCJmcX8OkLUZnpJ.html|access-date=2020-08-09|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> Vijayawada COVID-19 hotel facility was later blamed for violating fire safety norms and measures.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vijayawada Covid-19 hotel facility violated fire safety norms: Official|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/vijayawada-covid-19-hotel-facility-violated-fire-safety-norms-official/story-UosgdZsPrCYDmtC7VgBj7J.html|access-date=2020-08-09|website=hindustantimes.com|language=en}}</ref>

== Response ==
Andhra Pradesh CM [[YS Jagan Mohan Reddy]] announced a relief package compensation of five million rupees for the affected families.<ref>{{Cite web|last=correspondent|first=dc|date=2020-08-09|title=Swarna Palace hotel has no NOC, firefighting systems were not working: Officials|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/090820/swarna-palace-hotel-has-no-noc-firefighting-systems-were-not-working.html|access-date=2020-08-09|website=Deccan Chronicle|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Punjab reports 24 more deaths; 987 new cases take tally to 23,903|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/live/2020/aug/09/covid-19-live--punjab-reports-24-more-deaths-987-new-cases-take-tally-to-23903-2181123.html|access-date=2020-08-09|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> Indian Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] expressed his deep condolences regarding the tragic incident and tweeted that he was anguished by the terrible incident.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-09|title=PM Modi 'anguished' by fire at hotel being used as Covid-19 facility in Vijayawada|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-anguished-by-fire-at-hotel-being-used-as-covid-19-facility-in-vijayawada/story-yv7Wwnoz3CXfYg79TUep5H.html|access-date=2020-08-09|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Disasters in India in 2020}}
{{coord missing|India}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=2020s in Andhra Pradesh, Building and structure fires in India, Vijayawada
|description=
}}

[[Category:2020 disasters in India|Vijayawada fire]]
[[Category:2020 fires|Vijayawada fire]]
[[Category:2020s in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:August 2020 events in India|Vijayawada fire]]
[[Category:Building and structure fires in India]]
[[Category:Vijayawada]]
{{disaster-stub}}

2020 Vijayawada fire - Revision history

MetaBOT at 20:22, 8 July 2023