झांसी: मेडिकल कॉलेज हादसे में रेस्क्यू किए गए शिशु👇#jhansimedicalcollege pic.twitter.com/zvPLXY97cN
— NDTV India (@ndtvindia) November 15, 2024
Around 35 infants were rescued and ten were pronounced dead due to smoke inhalation and severe burns; 16 others are still battling for their lives as of early Saturday morning.
VIDEO | Fire breaks out at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh; rescue operation underway. More details awaited. #Fire #Jhansifire
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 15, 2024
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/Q5aZ9MiZMY
A devastating fire erupted late Friday night in the neonatal ward of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College Hospital in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 newborns and leaving 16 others in critical condition. The blaze, which authorities attribute to an electrical fault, broke out around 10:30 PM local time. Hospital staff managed to rescue 44 infants from the ward, but the rapid spread of the fire led to significant casualties.
Images from the scene depict distraught parents gathered outside the hospital, awaiting news of their children. Local officials suggest that an electrical short circuit or a malfunction in an oxygen-enhancing machine may have ignited the fire. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, describing the incident as “heart-wrenching” and extended his deepest sympathies to the affected families.
State Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak noted that a safety review of the hospital had been conducted in February, with a fire drill as recently as June. Despite these measures, the tragedy occurred, prompting state officials to announce compensation of 500,000 rupees (approximately $5,900) for each bereaved family.
This incident marks the second significant hospital fire in India within six months involving the deaths of newborns. In May, a fire at a private neonatal facility in Delhi claimed the lives of six infants, raising concerns about fire safety standards in medical institutions across the country.
