A fire ripped through a neonatal intensive care unit at a hospital in northern India, killing 10 newborn babies and injuring 16 others, authorities said.
The fire occurred late Friday at a hospital in the city of Jhansi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Officials said the fire quickly spread through the unit, where 55 infants were being treated. Forty-five babies have been rescued and are receiving medical care, said Bimal Kumar Dubey, a local official.
It was not immediately clear what caused the fire. Brajesh Pathak, the state’s deputy chief minister, visited the hospital and met families on Saturday. He pledged government support for the victims’ families and promised a thorough investigation.
“We will identify those responsible for this tragedy and take strict action. The government stands with the families during this difficult time,” he said.
AP
When firefighters arrived, the department was under fire and plumes of smoke. Rescuers had to break windows to reach the newborn babies. Eyewitnesses said the rescue operation began about 30 minutes after the fire broke out, delaying evacuation efforts.
The accident has raised questions about the hospital’s safety measures. Although fire alarms were installed in the intensive care unit, parents and witnesses said they were not activated during the fire. Hospital staff only took action when they saw signs of smoke and fire.
“If the safety alarm had worked, we could have acted earlier and saved more lives,” said Naresh Kumar, a parent who lost his baby.
Akhtar Hussain, whose son was rescued and is being treated in an adjacent ward, agreed that the tragedy could have been avoided if the hospital had better safety protocols.
Burn are common Indiawhere construction laws and safety standards are often ignored by builders and residents. Poor maintenance and lack of proper firefighting equipment in the country also lead to deaths.
