Fire murders ten newborns at Indian hospital
Date
11/20/2024 1:44:07 AM
(MENAFN) A devastating fire at a government hospital in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, has tragically claimed the lives of at least ten newborns and injured more than a dozen others. The fire, which reportedly began on Friday night, is believed to have been triggered by a short circuit in an oxygen concentrator. The blaze quickly spread to the neonatal intensive care unit, causing panic as hospital staff rushed to evacuate the infants.
Firefighters managed to control the situation after several hours, rescuing around 35 babies. Sadly, ten infants died from smoke inhalation and burns, while 16 others remain in critical condition. Disturbing footage of the rescue efforts has circulated online, showing bystanders and firefighters working to save the children.
Local authorities, including the hospital management, are facing intense scrutiny. The Uttar Pradesh government has pledged to thoroughly investigate the incident. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Vivek Kumar promised to review safety protocols to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak called the deaths "very unfortunate" and assured that those responsible would face severe consequences.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, calling the tragedy "heartbreaking," and emphasized that relief efforts were underway. Opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav blamed the incident on negligence and substandard medical equipment, calling for strict action against those responsible.
This incident follows a similar tragedy earlier this year in New Delhi, where a fire in a newborn care facility killed seven infants and injured others.
MENAFN20112024000045015687ID1108904913
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.