A fire broke out at the boys’ hostel of NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Sunday night after medical students reportedly set off fireworks on the premises, prompting renewed questions over fire safety and the enforcement of restrictions inside hospital campuses.
The incident took place at around 9pm, according to a report by Anandabazar. Hospital sources said fireworks were being used by medical students within the hostel compound when the fire started. Security guards brought the blaze under control using fire extinguishers available at the hostel, and no further spread of the fire was reported in the supplied account.
Manabendra Sarkar, the hospital’s medical superintendent and vice-president, acknowledged that the fire had been caused by fireworks and said the situation was under control, the report said. When asked how fireworks had been allowed inside the boys’ hostel, however, he did not provide an answer before ending the call, according to Anandabazar.
The hostel is located close to the hospital’s chest diseases department. The proximity of the incident to a clinical department adds a direct safety concern because fire, smoke and noise within a hospital campus can affect patients, staff and essential medical operations. The report did not provide details of any injuries, damage to hospital property or disruption to services.
The incident also comes against the background of restrictions on fireworks in West Bengal during Kali Puja and Diwali. According to the report, fireworks were permitted between 8pm and 10pm on the festival night, but only approved fireworks authorised by the state pollution control board were allowed. The instructions specifically prohibited fireworks in silence zones, including school and hospital premises, and called for monitoring of compliance.
Hospitals are treated as silence-sensitive locations because patients require a controlled environment and medical facilities must remain accessible to emergency services. The report said restrictions also applied to noise levels around the hospital, including a ban on unnecessary honking. It further reported that fireworks, including noisy varieties, continued to be used beyond the permitted time window on Sunday night.
The NRS hostel fire therefore involves two separate compliance questions: whether fireworks were used inside a hospital campus despite the stated prohibition, and whether the activity continued beyond the authorised hours. The available report does not establish who permitted the fireworks, whether the devices were approved by the pollution control board, or whether the hospital administration has ordered an internal inquiry.
The immediate response described in the report was limited to the security guards using the hostel’s firefighting equipment to contain the blaze. No official statement on disciplinary action, a safety audit, additional restrictions or a review of fire preparedness at the hostel was included. Further administrative action and any assessment of damage remain to be established by the hospital authorities.
