Fire in Another Hospital in Iran; Safety Warnings Still Ignored

A fire broke out at Shariati Hospital in Tehran, leading to the evacuation of several patients, once again highlighting the importance of adhering to safety principles. According to Iranian media reports, several safety warnings had previously been issued to this medical center, which were ignored. According to the spokesperson for the Tehran Fire Department and Safety Services, the fire at Shariati Hospital on Kargar Street was reported to the emergency number 125 around 10 PM on Thursday. Jalal Maleki stated that a team of female firefighters, along with other rescue forces, were simultaneously engaged in extinguishing the fire and evacuating patients. By the time this report was published, there were no reports of potential casualties from this incident. The spokesperson for the Tehran Fire Department mentioned that Shariati Hospital had undergone several safety inspections prior to the incident, and deficiencies had been communicated to the hospital's management; however, little attention was paid to rectifying these issues. This is not the first time hospitals in Tehran and other Iranian cities have experienced fires, endangering the lives of patients and staff. The latest incident occurred on June 19 of this year when Qaem Hospital in Rasht, the capital of Gilan Province, caught fire, resulting in the deaths of nine hospitalized patients. Previously, on January 25 of last year, Gandhi Hospital in Tehran experienced a fire; a private hospital that was only ten years old at the time of the incident. Although this incident did not result in casualties, it heightened concerns about the safety of buildings in the capital and other cities, especially public and medical facilities. One day after this incident, Mehdi Khosrovani, the crisis manager for District 6 of Tehran Municipality, announced the issuance of at least three warnings for 40 hospitals, including Shariati Hospital. He stated that fire incidents are a significant concern in the context of crisis management regarding the safety of high-traffic buildings, including hospitals and medical centers. The spokesperson for the Tehran Fire Department announced at the end of Bahman 1402 that there are 18,000 high-risk buildings in the capital, which pose a warning for the future of this metropolis. Jalal Maleki also declared 75 buildings in Tehran to be in a critical condition. He noted that incidents like Plasco, Gandhi Hospital, and Sina Athar Medical Center have raised public concerns. In July 2020, the Sina Athar Medical Center in northern Tehran suffered an explosion and fire that left 19 dead and 14 injured. Unsafe buildings are not limited to medical centers and also include industrial facilities and residential buildings; despite numerous warnings, officials of the Islamic Republic, especially municipalities, have yet to take effective measures. The deadly fire at Qaem Hospital in Rasht claimed the lives of nine patients. The Fire Department reported that Tehran has 18,000 'high-risk buildings.' Danger lurks for medical centers in the capital of Iran; 40 hospitals in District 6 of Tehran have been warned. From Plasco to Gandhi Hospital; buildings in Iran remain unsafe and hazardous. A fire at a cosmetics factory left over 50 injured. Fires in drug rehabilitation camps are serial; addicts are victims of negligence. A fire at a drug rehabilitation camp in Langroud left 27 dead and 18 injured. A legal case has been filed for 'unsafe' buildings in Tehran; eight hospitals are among the hazardous buildings. Warnings have been issued regarding the oil depot in Shahran; 'a catastrophe more terrifying than Beirut' is lurking in Tehran.