Ceiling's portion, fan collapse at NRS Hospital CCU; 12 patients narrowly escape

A major disaster was narrowly averted at the state-run NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata after a portion of the ceiling and a fan collapsed inside a functional Critical Care Unit (CCU). The incident occurred on the sixth floor of the UNB building, which houses the Medicine Department's CCU. While twelve patients were undergoing intensive treatment at the time of the collapse, miraculously, no casualties were reported as staff acted swiftly to move those in immediate danger.

The structural integrity of the building is now under severe scrutiny as the collapse revealed deep systemic issues. Witnesses and hospital staff reported seeing large cracks developing in the roof, with the ceiling fan crashing down shortly after. More alarmingly, the pillars and walls of the CCU have visibly separated, indicating a potential compromise of the entire floor's stability. The impact was so severe that even the floor of the unit developed significant cracks following the roof’s partial failure.

Following the incident, the NRS authorities took the immediate decision to shut down the affected CCU and transfer all patients to other wards within the hospital. The Public Works Department (PWD) has been summoned to conduct an emergency inspection and structural audit of the UNB building.