Kollam: Concrete pieces from the ceiling collapsed on a patient recovering after surgery and near the cot of another patient on the first floor of the district hospital here.The incident, which sparked widespread outrage, has also raised serious questions over the safety of hospital building.

The debris fell on Shyam (39), a native of Shooranad, who was recuperating after a leg surgery. A portion of the collapsed concrete struck his hand. Fortunately, he was lying sideways, which prevented the concrete from falling on his head. Shyam had undergone surgery yesterday at 11 AM and was admitted to the ward at 3 PM. Concrete pieces also fell near the cot of another patient, Maniyan, a native of Iravipuram.

Patients and bystanders accused hospital authorities of negligence, alleging that they ignored the visibly unsafe condition of the ceiling, which had shown signs of concrete coming loose.

The patients were shifted to another bed after staff cleared the debris. A similar incident had occurred in the hospital last July.

The BJP Kollam Mandalam Committee staged a protest at the hospital following the collapse. District secretary Thekkadam Hareesh, Mandalam president S Suraj, general secretaries Shibu Kadappakkada and Krishnakumar Asraamam, and councillors Sasikala Rao, B Shailaja, M S Lal, Ragesh, and Baiju Maheshwar addressed the gathering.