By Express News Service
BHANDRA: Ten newborn babies died after fire broke out in the Special Newborn Care Unit of a hospital in Maharashtra in the wee hours on Saturday, doctors said.
All the infants were between a month and three months old, a doctor said. There were 17 babies in the unit and seven were rescued, he added.
Fire broke out in the Bhandara district hospital at around 2 am, due to an apparent short circuit.
Another doctor said a nurse first noticed smoke coming out from the neonatal section of the hospital and alerted doctors and other staff who reached there in five minutes.
Ten children died in a fire that broke out at Sick Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Bhandara District General Hospital at 2 am today. Seven children were rescued from the unit: Pramod Khandate, Civil Surgeon, Bhandara, Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/bTokrNQ28t
— ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2021
Fire brigade personnel rescued seven babies from the ‘inbound ward’ of the unit but could not save the 10 other babies, he said.
Parents of the deceased children were not notified about the incident properly and have assembled outside the hospital awaiting more details.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the accident as a ‘heart-wrenching’ tragedy and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
Heart-wrenching tragedy in Bhandara, Maharashtra, where we have lost precious young lives. My thoughts are with all the bereaved families. I hope the injured recover as early as possible.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 9, 2021
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his condolences to those affected.
“The fire accident in Bhandara district hospital, Maharashtra is very unfortunate. I am pained beyond words. My thoughts and condolences are with bereaved families. May God give them the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” he tweeted.
The fire accident in Bhandara district hospital, Maharashtra is very unfortunate. I am pained beyond words. My thoughts and condolences are with bereaved families. May God give them the strength to bear this irreparable loss.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 9, 2021
Maharashtra Health minister Rajesh Tope expressed grief over the accident and reassured that the guilty will be punished and that the government is with the bereaved parents.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has also ordered an inquiry into the incident and asked Tope and the district collector to extend all possible help to the kin of the victims.
(With PTI and Online Desk inputs)