Documents destroyed in fire at Kumbakonam GH

Fire broke out in the office of the Medical Superintendent in the premises of the government hospital in Kumbakonam, in which important documents were reportedly destroyed. The incident occurring prior to the visit of the audit team from the health department has raised many questions.

Sources said, few of the staff who were inside the hospital noticed smoke emanating from the locked office of the Medical superintendent on Tuesday late night. Thereafter, they informed the fire station and the fire and rescue personnel led by the station fire officer Muthukumar rushed to the spot and doused the fire.

However, many documents in the room of the Medical superintendent and the cashier offices located in the building were reportedly damaged in the fire. It is said, the service registers of the staff, documents of the accounts of various expenditures and other documents were kept in these rooms. The staff are assessing the damage to the documents, sources said. A short circuit is being suspected to be the reason behind the fire. The Kumbakonam East police have registered a case and are conducting an enquiry.

Meanwhile, sources said that there was a visit by the audit team scheduled in a couple of days and the fire incident created a suspicion among the officials. It is said that a team from the Directorate of health department office visited the hospital. They had conducted an audit of the documents and had reportedly found irregularities in them.

Subsequently, the Joint Director of Health, Superintendent of the hospital and Office Superintendent were issued memos by the officials and sought their explanation. Thus, in view of the incident, the police suspect some conspiracy behind the fire.