A fire incident at a neonatal ward in a hospital in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, has tragically resulted in the death of at least 10 newborn babies, while chaos ensued as parents rushed to save their children.
Tragedy Strikes as Fire Claims Lives of 10 Newborns in Indian Hospital
Tragedy Strikes as Fire Claims Lives of 10 Newborns in Indian Hospital
Devastating incident leaves families shattered in Uttar Pradesh following hospital blaze.
A heart-wrenching inferno broke out on Friday night at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College Hospital in Jhansi district, Northern India, claiming the lives of at least 10 newborns. Eyewitness accounts depict scenes of chaos as parents struggled to reach their infants amidst the turmoil, with some even breaking windows to enter the ward, desperate for their children's safety.
"The nurses were pushing people out, but those who managed to get in grabbed any child they could,” shared one grieving grandmother with ANI news agency. Medical staff reportedly succeeded in rescuing 44 infants from the raging flames; however, authorities have confirmed that 16 of these infants are in critical condition.
Three of the deceased babies remain unidentified, exacerbating the heartache for parents searching for their lost children. Santoshi, a mother whose 10-day-old baby is still missing, expresses her despair, “When the fire broke out, I couldn't go inside to rescue my baby. How could I? When no one was able to get inside, how could anyone hand me my baby?”
The cause of the fire, which broke out around 22:30 local time, is believed to be an electrical fault. Local officials suspect a short circuit or malfunction in an oxygen-increasing machine ignited the blaze. Visuals from the hospital show devastated families awaiting news of their infants in sheer agony.
Acknowledging the tragedy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences online, describing the loss as "heart-wrenching" and praying for the bereaved families during this overwhelming heartache. In response to the tragedy, the state government of Uttar Pradesh has announced a compensation package of 500,000 rupees (approximately $5,900) for the families affected.
State Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak revealed that safety reviews had been conducted at the hospital as recently as February, with fire drills executed in June. This devastating incident marks the second incident involving the deaths of newborns in a hospital fire within just six months in India, following an earlier tragedy in Delhi where six infants lost their lives in a similar fire at a private neonatal facility.
