Dehradun, May 21 -- A 66-year-old woman was killed and 16 others injured after an explosion in an air-conditioning unit triggered a fire at a private hospital in Dehradun on Wednesday, officials said. The incident took place at Panacea Hospital near Rispana Bridge at around 9.35am, and the deceased was identified as Veeravati. Officials said that the AC was in the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU). At the time of the incident, 14 patients were admitted in the hospital, out of which at least four to five people were admitted in the ICU. Officials added that preliminary findings suggested a short circuit as the cause. Teams from the district administration, police, fire services, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) took part in the rescue operation. They recovered around seven attendants, staff and others trapped in the premises, and transferred all patients to nearby facilities. Critically ill patients were prioritised for transfer, officials said. They added that Veeravati's death was prima facie caused by inhalation of smoke. She was on a ventilator, said an official. Three personnel from the police and fire services were injured during the rescue, he added. The district administration has ordered a detailed probe into the cause of the fire. "Due to heavy smoke and gas inside the ICU, several patients and some police personnel suffered breathing difficulties and were admitted to Kailash Hospital for treatment," said district SSP Pramendra Dobhal....