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CatastropheIndia

India: Hospital fire kills 10 newborns

November 16, 2024

A fire at a Jhansi hospital killed 10 newborns and injured at least 16 others, raising concerns about safety procedures.

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A symbolic image of a fire truck n India.
Witnesses said firefighting efforts only began 30 minutes after the fire startedImage: Subrata Goswami/DW

A fire at a neonatal intensive care unit in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, killed 10 newborn babies and injured at least 16 other children.

"My deepest condolences to those who have lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X.

How did the fire break out

Local authorities said the fire broke out at Jhansi city's Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College's neonatal intensive care unit around 10:45 pm local time (0515 GMT) on Friday. 

Fifty-five infants were being treated in the ward. Forty-five babies were rescued and are receiving treatment, local official Bimal Kumar Dubey said. Officials said the blaze spread quickly through the ward.

The deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Brajesh Pathak, said the fire was caused by an electrical short-circuit inside the oxygen concentrator.

 "Seven bodies have been identified. Three bodies haven't been identified as yet," he said.

"We will identify those responsible for this tragedy and take strict action. The government stands with families during this difficult time," Pathak added.

Some witnesses told AP news agency that rescue efforts only started half an hour after the fire broke out. Fire alarms at the hospital did not work, and hospital staff only acted when they saw smoke and fire. Questions are being raised about the hospital's safety measures.

"If the safety alarm had worked, we could have acted sooner and saved more lives," Naresh Kumar, a parent who lost his child said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the state would pay a compensation of ₹500,000 ($5,900 or €5,595) to the victims' families.

Fires frequently occur in India, often linked to construction practices and insufficient enforcement of safety regulations. Poor maintenance and low-quality firefighting equipment also add to the number of fires. A similar fire at a Delhi hospital six months ago had killed seven newborn babies.

tg/lo (AFP, AP)