A fire at neonatal unit in an Indian hospital Saturday claimed the lives of 10 newborns, with 39 others rescued from the blaze, which officials have attributed to a malfunctioning oxygen machine.
Fires in buildings are common in India, often due to inadequate firefighting resources and frequent neglect of safety standards.
The fire broke out around 10:30 pm ,1700 GMT, on Friday at the Maharani Lakshmibai Medical College in Jhansi, about 450 kilometers ,280 miles south of New Delhi. Photos from the scene showed charred beds and walls in the ward, while devastated families waited outside. One mother was seen crying, clutching her head in despair, saying, “My child has gone forever.”
The infants, all just days old, who survived were moved to a new unit where hospital staff continued to care for them. Dr. Narendra Sengar, the medical college’s principal, confirmed that despite efforts to save them, 10 infants had died.
He also stated that the remaining 39 babies were safe and in good health, countering earlier media reports that claimed 16 had been critically injured.
“The postmortems are underway, and all the babies who were rescued are unharmed,” he said. Dr. Sengar praised the hospital staff for their heroic actions, noting that they risked their own lives to save the infants.
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As stated by the Police Superintendent Gyanendra Kumar Singh, the fire likely started due to a faulty oxygen enrichment machine. He assured that all the rescued children were receiving medical care.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak met with the affected families on Saturday, vowing a thorough investigation. Pathak noted that the hospital had undergone a safety audit in February, followed by a fire drill three months later.
“The cause of the fire will be thoroughly investigated,” he said. “If any negligence is found, strict action will be taken against those responsible.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on X, calling the deaths “heart-wrenching,” and praying for strength for the grieving families.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a compensation of 500,000 rupees ,$5,900 for the families of the deceased infants, also praying for the souls of the lost children and the recovery of the survivors.
This tragedy follows a similar fire in May at a children’s hospital in New Delhi that killed six newborns. That incident raised concerns about safety regulations, as the hospital lacked proper fire exits and was operating without the necessary licenses.
In the aftermath, police arrested both a doctor and the facility’s owner. The New Delhi fire occurred just hours after a separate blaze at a crowded amusement park arcade, which killed at least 27 people, including several children.
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