Panchkula, Jan. 20 -- Medical services at the civil hospital in Sector 6 were severely disrupted on Monday morning after the main server crashed, reportedly due to a short circuit triggered by the excessive use of room heaters. The technical failure paralysed the hospital's digital infrastructure, leaving hundreds of patients stranded for over four hours as they struggled to obtain OPD cards and access essential diagnostic services. The trouble began around 9 am, coinciding with the peak morning rush. Hospital sources revealed that the heavy electrical load from heaters caused a short circuit that damaged the UPS batteries. Consequently, the main server-housed in the hospital basement-shut down, halting operations at registration counters, X-ray units, ultrasound rooms, and blood testing laboratories. To manage the crisis, hospital authorities redirected the registration process to the mother and child care building. However, this sudden shift resulted in massive congestion and chaotic queues, with wait times stretching between three to five hours. Dr RS Chauhan, the principal medical officer, attributed the incident to the continuous and improper use of heaters across various departments and wards. Pooja, a resident of Pinjore, said that it took her four hours just to complete her registration. She only learned about the server failure after standing in a long queue at the main building and was eventually forced to go to the mother and child care unit to get her OPD card....