22 COVID-19 patients died due to lack of oxygen at Dr Zakir Hussain hospital in Nashik after the main storage tank sprung a leak. Oxygen supply was affected for an hour before technicians managed to fix the issue.
NDTV reported that 31 of the 80 patients who needed oxygen were shifted to other hospitals. The oxygen supply at Dr Zakir Hussain hospital has now been restored.
Calling the incident a "blow to Maharashtra", CM Uddhav Thackeray said those responsible for the "shocking and painful" incident will not be spared. Thackeray further urged for the tragedy to not be politicised and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh compensation for the kin of the dead.
According to the Indian Express, a cork in the tank malfunctioned which reduced the pressure in the pipeline which supplied oxygen to the COVID-19 wards. Visuals from the hospital showed a white cloud of gas around the storage tank with technicians working in frenzy to repair the damage.
"The oxygen pressure for patients on an invasive ventilator and in intensive care unit reduced. The hospital has informed us that 22 patients died," collector Suraj Mandhare told Indian Express.
"By that time a lot of oxygen was wasted. The hospital tried to divert cylinders towards patients but ICU patients on high flow oxygen could not be saved," a district official told Indian Express.
State Health minister Rajesh Tope has said that the government will prepare an SOP on managing oxygen plants and storage tankers to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.
PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Governor BS Koshiyari, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, state Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackeray, former CM Devendra Fadnavis tweeted their condolences and asked for an enquiry into the tragedy.
As of April 21, Nashik has reported 2,56,586 cases and 2,672 deaths while Maharashtra has reported 39,60,359 total cases and 61,343 deaths.
