The devastating fire at Jhansi’s Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) claimed the lives of 10 newborns, leaving three still unidentified as of Saturday. Chief Medical Superintendent Sachin Mahor confirmed that the fire broke out between 10:30 and 10:45 p.m. due to a short circuit in an oxygen concentrator.
49 Babies in NICU During Fire
At the time of the incident, 49 newborns were in the NICU. Of these, 39 were rescued and are now in stable condition. Dr. Mahor stated, “The bodies of three babies are yet to be identified, and the process of identifying them is underway so they can be handed over to their parents.”
Cause and Spread of the Fire
The fire, caused by a short circuit, spread rapidly in the oxygen-rich environment of the NICU, where over 50 newborns were undergoing treatment. Despite rescue efforts, many families are still searching for answers regarding the fate of their children.
PM Modi and CM Yogi Express Condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief on X (formerly Twitter), calling the tragedy “heart-wrenching.” He said, “My deepest condolences to those who have lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this tremendous loss. The local administration, under the state government’s supervision, is making every possible effort for relief and rescue.”
The Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of each deceased child and ₹50,000 for those injured, from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
CM Yogi Announces Aid and Investigation
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed his condolences, offering ₹5 lakh to the parents of each deceased child and ₹50,000 to the families of the injured through the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. He has directed the Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Jhansi to submit a detailed report on the incident within 12 hours.
Families Seek Answers
The tragedy has left families devastated, many still searching for their missing children as the investigation continues. The incident has raised urgent questions about safety measures in critical healthcare facilities.