Tehran Hospital Blaze Highlights Security Challenges In Iran

A video showing the owner and founder of Tehran's Gandhi Hospital, two days after a fire broke out in the luxury medical center, has stirred speculation that the incident might have been intentional.

In the 103-second video, Mohammad Hasan Baniasad appealed for help to Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, emphasizing the plight of the hospital's 700 personnel and 200 doctors. 

The fire department and safety services in Tehran claimed to have given at least five warnings to the hospital's management before the fire broke out. 

According to the fire department's report, the hospital’s fire extinguisher system lacked water, raising questions about the safety protocols in place at the hospital.

On January 27, the fire at Gandhi Hospital ended without casualties, yet it raised concerns about security in buildings in Iran, especially medical centers. 

Ghodratullah Mohammadi, the head of Tehran Municipality's firefighting and safety services department, said: "After our first [firefighting] forces arrived, hospital officials called ‘125’ to report the fire, indicating they were unaware of the incident before that call.

"Had there been surveillance cameras and fire alarms, they would have detected it immediately. The hospital remained aware of the incident for about 20 minutes until a citizen reported the fire."

Journalist Yaghma Faghshami wrote on his X account that during the peak of the pandemic two years ago, patients were charged significant amounts by hospitals like Gandhi Hospital, despite disregard for the most fundamental safety guidelines.

One rumor circulating suggests that in recent years, with many doctors and other medical staff emigrating, coupled with a decline in health tourism, the hospital's maintenance costs have surpassed its income. 

The hospital's owner has now sought insurance coverage and government assistance.

One of the questions that arose after the fire is why the automatic fire extinguishing system did not activate. 

The findings of the official investigation into the incident are yet to be announced.

The Deputy Prevention Officer at the Tehran Fire Department said that the cause is still under investigation.

The incident brought to mind the tragedies that hit Sina Athar Hospital in Shemiran, the Metropole building in Abadan, the drug rehab camp in Langroud, and the Mashhad-Yazd train accident.

These incidents underscored the authorities’ failure to address insecurity in buildings.

In June 2016, Salman Tower in Mashhad was hit by a fire caused by a faulty electrical connection.

The fire, which started on the fourth floor, spread across the composite facade, releasing materials onto the people below. 

However, despite the announcement by the fire department that the Tehran city council had previously banned the use of composite facades, there was no mention of this issue in the notices sent to Gandhi Hospital.

A Decade of Inaction

Ten years have passed since two women workers dangled from a window while attempting to escape a fire on Tehran’s Jomhouri Street. 

The fire department lacked the necessary equipment to save them, resulting in their fatal fall.

Yet, this incident and subsequent tragedies in Tehran have failed to instigate effective changes in the capital and other cities.

Even after the Plasco building in Tehran burned and collapsed in 2017, leading to an official report addressing safety and fire issues, there has been minimal progress. 

The report pointed to the deficiencies regarding inspections and warnings by the fire department and safety services, including the department's limited legal tools and authority.

This raises a crucial question: If Tehran's fire department and safety services lack the necessary legal tools, how can safety be ensured in the city?

A week after the collapse of the Metropol building in Abadan, there was a discussion surrounding a list of 129 unsafe buildings in Tehran. 

However, the Tehran Fire Department refused to confirm or disclose the names on this list. 

Despite the recommendations in the Plasco National Report to strengthen the prosecutor's role in prevention, enhance legal support, and reinforce enforcement mechanisms, this crucial matter seems to have been forgotten.