A tragic incident occurred in Jhansi city, Uttar Pradesh, India, where a fire broke out in a neonatal intensive care unit at a hospital, claiming the lives of 10 newborn babies and injuring 16 others. The blaze spread rapidly through the ward where 55 infants were being treated, with 45 babies successfully rescued and receiving medical attention, according to Bimal Kumar Dubey, a local official.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, prompting Brajesh Pathak, the deputy chief minister of the state, to visit the hospital and meet with the affected families. He assured them of government support and a thorough investigation to identify those responsible for the tragedy and take necessary action.
Firefighters faced a challenging situation upon arrival, with the ward engulfed in flames and smoke. Rescuers had to break windows to reach the newborn babies, and eyewitnesses pointed out that the evacuation efforts were delayed by about 30 minutes after the fire started.
The incident has raised concerns about the hospital’s safety measures, as despite the presence of fire alarms in the intensive care unit, they reportedly did not activate during the blaze. It was only when staff noticed smoke and fire that action was taken.
Parents like Naresh Kumar, who lost his baby, and Akhtar Hussain, whose son survived but is now receiving treatment, emphasized the importance of improved safety protocols to prevent such tragedies in the future.
In India, fires are unfortunately common due to negligence in following building regulations and safety standards. The lack of proper maintenance and firefighting equipment also contributes to the high number of fire-related deaths in the country.
By Biswajeet Banerjee
