A massive fire engulfed Karnali Academy of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Khalanga, the district headquarters of Jumla, on Saturday morning. There was no human casualty in the incident.

A 12-room building used as out-patient department was destroyed in the fire. The hospital source said all equipment of laboratory, radiology and dental depart were destroyed in the incident.

The raging fire broke out from an under-construction wooden canteen abutting the building at around 2am.

It is not clear what caused the fire.

Security personnel of Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, the

hospital employees and local residents brought the fire under control at around 7am.

After the incident, around two dozen patients admitted to the hospital were compelled to stay in an open space despite biting cold. The minimum temperature in the area is below zero degree centigrade for past couple of days.

Dr Javed Khan, director at the hospital, said property worth around Rs 55 million was destroyed in the inferno. “The OPD building and equipment collected over years were destroyed in the incident,” he said, adding that the destruction has made it very difficult for them to provide health services.