Ten newborns killed in fire at hospital in India

Tearful parents endure agonising wait to discover whether their babies are among the victims

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At least 10 newborns have died from burns and suffocation after a fire broke out in the neonatal ward of a hospital in northern India.
Sixteen others are in critical condition following the blaze on Friday night at the state-run Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College Hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi district.
Investigators have suggested the cause could have been a short circuit in an oxygen concentrator machine.
The fire spread rapidly due to the highly oxygenated environment – created by the concentrator – and engulfed the neonatal intensive care unit on the ground floor.
Hospital staff said they managed to break into the ward and rescue 44 infants, of whom at least 16 were in critical condition. All of the victims were less than a year old and had been on life support.
Photos of the charred intensive care unit were shared on social media and distraught parents were filmed outside the hospital. “Who will return my baby?” said one tearful parent.
The families of the affected children gathered outside the hospital on Saturday morning and protested over the lack of information they had received.
Only seven out of the 10 dead infants had been identified at that point, leaving some parents facing an agonising wait.
Officials said DNA tests would be carried out if needed to identify the remaining three babies.
Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, said: “The fire accident at Jhansi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching.
“My deepest condolences to those who lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss.”
The state government of Uttar Pradesh has announced it will provide financial assistance while Mr Modi’s office has announced a payout of almost £1,900 to the next of kin of each deceased.
An investigation has been ordered to determine the cause of the fire.
Hospitals across India are often understaffed and lack safety measures, with such fires not uncommon in the world’s most populous country. Seven newborns were killed in a massive fire at a childcare hospital in New Delhi in May.
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