At least twenty-two coronavirus patients died on Wednesday after oxygen leaked from a tanker outside a hospital in Maharashtra’s Nashik city, NDTV reported.
The incident took place at Zakir Hussain Hospital and led to oxygen supply being stopped for around 30 minutes. The hospital was run by the Nashik Municipal Corporation to treat Covid-19 patients, according to PTI. All the patients were on ventilators and required constant oxygen supply.
“As per current information, 22 people have died due to the interrupted supply of oxygen,” district collector Suraj Mandhare told NDTV. He added that the municipal corporation immediately shifted the cylinders from other facilities where oxygen demand was not high.
Shiv Sena leader Sudhakar Badgujar, who was among the first to reach the site, expressed fears that the toll could rise higher and touch 30 to 35, The Hindu reported. A fire brigade team and technicians are at the site to assess the situation.