Case against driver for blocking fire engine rushing to hospital blaze in Alappuzha
Pattakanad police have registered a case against Sujith, a resident of Kodamthuruth, for allegedly obstructing a fire tender on its way to an emergency at Thuravoor Taluk Hospital.
Pattakanad police have registered a case against Sujith, a resident of Kodamthuruth, for allegedly obstructing a fire tender on its way to an emergency at Thuravoor Taluk Hospital.
Pattakanad police have registered a case against Sujith, a resident of Kodamthuruth, for allegedly obstructing a fire tender on its way to an emergency at Thuravoor Taluk Hospital.
The Pattakanad police on Wednesday registered a case against a man for allegedly refusing to give way to a fire tender rushing to attend a blaze at Thuravoor Taluk Hospital.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused, Sujith, a native of Kodamthuruth, has been booked under Sections 281 (rash or negligent driving endangering human life) and 285 (causing danger or obstruction on a public way) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 194E of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (as amended in 2015 and 2019).
The FIR stated that the driver of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx car drove recklessly and dangerously along the service road adjacent to the under-construction Alappuzha-Aroor National Highway, and obstructed a fire and rescue vehicle from Alappuzha around 10 am on Tuesday while it was on emergency duty.
Fire officials said the fire engine was travelling at a speed of 60–80 kmph when, between Cherthala and Pattanakkad, a car refused to give way despite repeated honking. “The car was moving at just 20–30 kmph. We had to brake suddenly and were stuck behind it for about 200–300 metres,” an officer with the Alappuzha Fire and Rescue Services said. “Despite continuous honking, the driver did not respond. We lost nearly 5 to 10 minutes of crucial time.”
The officer added that as a heavy vehicle, the fire engine takes time to regain speed after slowing down. “We managed to overtake only after getting some space on the service road,” he said, alleging that the driver appeared inattentive. “The driver was driving casually. His left hand was on the steering wheel, and he was resting his head on the other,” the officer said.
The fire broke out on the second floor of the hospital’s old block. Authorities said the blaze originated in the main medicine storage area, destroying a large stock of medicines. Fire and rescue units from Cherthala, Aroor and Alappuzha, along with personnel from the Kuthiathodu police station, rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control.