Three newborns die in Maharashtra hospital fire

Three newborn babies died after a fire swept through the neonatal intensive care unit of a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Amravati early on Monday, prompting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to order a high-level inquiry and promise strict action against anyone found responsible.

Six other infants were shifted to a Super Speciality Hospital for treatment following the blaze at the District Women’s Hospital. Officials said dozens of other newborns were brought to safety as hospital staff launched an evacuation after the fire broke out on the third floor of the building at around 3.30am.

Preliminary reports indicated that the blaze may have started following an electrical malfunction or explosion involving a ventilator in the NICU. However, authorities have said the precise cause has not yet been established and will form part of the investigation.

36 infants rescued

Fadnavis said 36 children were successfully rescued unharmed and announced compensation of Rs500,000 for the families of each of the three babies who died. The state government will also bear the medical expenses of the injured infants.

“The strictest possible action will be taken against those responsible for this incident,” Fadnavis said, adding that the state Health Minister and Health Secretary had been directed to travel to Amravati.

“The incident of the death of three children is extremely tragic and heart-wrenching. We share in the grief of their families,” he said.

The chief minister also directed the Amravati District Collector to ensure that the injured children receive treatment at government expense.

Maharashtra Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prakashrao Abitkar said hospital personnel had made every effort to save the newborns.

“Our staff provided ventilator support and made every possible effort to save them, but unfortunately, they did not succeed,” he said.

Father recounts chaotic scenes

The father of one of the infants admitted to the hospital described scenes of panic after a loud explosion was heard in the ICU area.

“It happened between 3:30am and 4:00am. My wife was in the ICU when there was the sound of a blast. After the blast, my wife went inside and saw that a fire had started,” he said.

He said the flames spread rapidly and several babies were trapped in ventilators and incubators. He also alleged that there were delays in the firefighting response and called for an investigation into the hospital’s electrical systems and fire-safety arrangements.

The hospital’s third floor has three NICU wards with a combined capacity of 39 beds. The fire occurred in a section caring for high-risk and premature babies. Questions have also been raised over reports that the building’s automated fire-suppression system failed to activate.

Opposition alleges negligence

The deaths triggered criticism from opposition parties, which demanded that accountability be fixed and safety systems at hospitals across Maharashtra be reviewed.

NCP (SP) Working President and MP Supriya Sule called the incident a “glaring example of negligence in the system” and sought fire audits of government and private hospitals as well as safety checks of medical equipment.

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar also questioned whether fire-safety systems and medical and electrical equipment at government hospitals were being adequately inspected and maintained.

“No drama of inquiry after innocent lives are lost; fix accountability and take strict action against the guilty,” he said.

Former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh referred to the January 2021 fire at a hospital in Bhandara in which 10 newborn babies died. He claimed that recommendations made by a high-level committee following that tragedy had not been implemented.

“Had the government implemented the report, today’s heartbreaking incident may have been averted,” he said.

— with inputs from IANS and ANI