Kolkata, Sep 27 (IANS) A woman patient died while being rescued after a fire broke out at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital on Friday, police and hospital sources said.

Some ambulance drivers noticed smoke billowing Aout of the Coronary Care unit (CCU) of the hospital and informed the fire brigade.

Hospital employees and relatives of patient parties rushed to evacuate the CCU, but in the commotion, Sabera Khatun died while being rescued. Eye-witnesses said the life support systems had to be removed during the rescue operations and that could have led to her death, sources said.

Five of the 10 patients admitted in the CCU when the fire broke out were shifted to another hospital, while four others were admitted in other departments of the medical college.

Two fire tenders brought the situation under control after a 90-minute fight.

--IANS ssp/vd