Fire Starts in Hospital Neonatal Unit
10 of 49 Newborns Dead, 16 Seriously Injured
A fire broke out in a hospital in India, resulting in the deaths of 10 babies in the neonatal unit and leaving 16 others seriously injured.
According to Indian media NDTV on the 16th (local time), the fire occurred around 10:45 PM the previous day at Maharani Lakshmibai Medical College in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, located about 450 km south of the capital New Delhi.
A fire at an infant hospital in Delhi, India, on May 26. Not related to the article. Yonhap News Agency
Local fire authorities reported that there were 49 newborns in the hospital at the time of the incident, with 10 fatalities caused by the fire. Sixteen others sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment at other hospitals.
The fire started in the hospital’s neonatal unit and is believed to have been caused by a malfunction in a machine that increases oxygen concentration in the air.
The Uttar Pradesh government stated that it conducted a safety audit of the hospital in February and held fire drills in May, adding, "We are investigating the cause of the fire, and if any faults are found, strict measures will be taken against those responsible."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a "heartbreaking incident" and offering sympathy to those who lost their innocent children in the fire.
In May, a similar incident occurred in Delhi where a fire broke out in oxygen cylinders at a hospital for infants, resulting in the deaths of six newborns.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
