Three people suffered burn injuries after a fire broke out in Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital on Thursday. A postgraduate resident doctor, a senior resident doctor, and a nursing officer received thermal injuries in the incident that took place on the fourth floor of the new Out Patient Department building during a routine surgery around noon.

Seven fire tenders were rushed to the hospital and the fire was brought under control within 30 minutes, said an official of the Delhi Fire Service.

The hospital administration has formed an inquiry committee to look into the incident. A preliminary report was submitted to Medical Superintendent Dr Rajendra Sharma, which said that a spirit swab caught fire accidentally during an eye operation.

“While the patient suffered no harm and his operative procedure could be completed satisfactorily, the injured staff were immediately shifted to the burns casualty,” said the report.

The report said that the fire department was informed in time. “No maintenance-related issue or lapse on the part of staff, treating doctors or maintenance agency has come to the fore,” it said.