Kozhikode: Power was restored in the Emergency Medicine department of the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital, where smoke and loud noise were reported on Friday. According to an official statement from the Health Department, electricity has been fully restored on six floors and partially on the ground floor. Health Minister Veena George visited the hospital on Saturday and chaired a review meeting.

The smoke originated from the UPS room connected to the MRI machine in the Emergency Department. Both the MRI and the UPS system, manufactured by a private company, remain under warranty until October 2026. Maintenance is handled by an authorised agency, which conducts inspections every six months and submits reports to the manufacturer, with copies shared with the hospital. These reports are kept on record by the hospital’s biomedical engineer.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident. CCTV footage and access logs to the UPS room are being reviewed, and the forensic department is carrying out a parallel inspection, read the official statement. A technical team from the Electrical Inspectorate will also conduct an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the fire.

In addition, a panel of medical experts has been appointed to investigate complaints related to patient care during the evacuation. Following the incident, 151 patients were relocated from the Super Speciality Block. Of these, 114 were shifted to other blocks within the medical college, 12 to the General Hospital, and 25 to various private hospitals. A team of doctors has been tasked with ensuring continued medical care for all relocated patients.

Emergency services for critically ill patients are currently being provided at the Beach Hospital casualty wing. The old casualty block at the Medical College will become operational again starting Sunday morning. Meanwhile, the affected Surgical Super Specialty Block is expected to be fully functional within the next two to three days.