A tragic incident has unfolded in northern India, where a fire in a hospital’s neonatal ward has claimed the lives of at least 10 newborns. The blaze erupted under circumstances that are currently under investigation.
In a dramatic rescue operation, hospital staff in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, successfully broke in to save 44 infants. However, officials report that at least 16 of the rescued infants are currently in critical condition.
An electrical fault is attributed to a fire that erupted on Friday night at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College Hospital.
Images captured at the location revealed distraught parents gathered outside the hospital.
Reports from India indicate that a fire initially erupted in the intensive care unit of the infant ward at approximately 22:30 local time (17:00 GMT).
Local officials suspect that an electrical short circuit or a malfunction in a machine designed to elevate oxygen levels in the ward may have ignited the fire.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to express his sorrow over the deaths, describing them as “heart-wrenching”.
Expressions of profound sympathy are extended to the families mourning the loss of their innocent children in this tragic event. “I pray to God to grant them the strength to endure this profound loss,” he stated.
On Saturday, officials from the Uttar Pradesh state government informed reporters that three bodies remain unidentified.
State Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak announced that a safety review of the public hospital was conducted in February, followed by a fire drill in June.
State officials have declared that bereaved families will receive compensation of 500,000 rupees (£4,600; $5,900).
In a troubling trend, India has witnessed its second major hospital fire in just six months, resulting in the tragic loss of newborn lives. In May, a sad incident occurred at a private neonatal facility in Delhi, resulting in the deaths of six infants due to a fire.
