Amravati, August 24: Three newborns died after a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Amravati city early Monday, officials said. As many as 36 other infants were rescued after the blaze erupted at the District Women’s Hospital.
Amravati Police Commissioner Rakesh Ola said the fire broke out in the NICU, which houses premature and critically ill babies. A ventilator in the outborn babies’ section caught fire, triggering the incident.
The NICU had three sections — for inborn babies, outborn babies and step-down care — with 39 infants admitted across the three units at the time, Ola said. Three newborns in the outborn section died, while the remaining six babies in that section were rescued.
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Hospital staff on duty rushed to the affected area after the fire was detected and evacuated the other infants to safety, Maharashtra Revenue Minister and Amravati guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said.
Several children were subsequently shifted to other medical facilities for treatment. An official said six infants were admitted to a super-speciality hospital, while four were being treated at the Divisional Referral Services Hospital. One of those children was reported to be in critical condition.
Bawankule ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the incident and said the government would provide all necessary assistance to the affected families.
“I am deeply saddened by today’s incident in Amravati. My heart is heavy,” Bawankule said.
“The government stands with the relatives of the deceased children and the government and administration are providing all possible help,” he added.
Officials said fire personnel and the Public Works Department’s electrical wing had been informed to determine the cause of the blaze. The exact circumstances that led to the ventilator catching fire were not immediately clear.
The minister said he had spoken to officials and was closely monitoring the situation, while assuring the families of the deceased that the government would extend all possible assistance.
