Fire wreaked havoc in Maharani Laxmibai Medical College on Friday night in which 10 newborn babies died of burns and suffocation in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Around 54 children were rescued safely. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of this incident and sought a report within 12 hours. He has directed the administration to provide immediate assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the relatives of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those of the seriously injured.
It was late at night, a tragic fire incident, caused by a short circuit, occurred in the ward. While 10 newborns lost their lives, 54 others were successfully rescued through a swift rescue operation.The fire broke out in the NICU at around 10.40 pm, when around 64 newborns were admitted there. Within a short time the flames took a huge form. Seeing smoke, relatives started running away carrying the admitted children in their arms. People ran even with pregnant women, but no one was able to move forward due to smoke and flames.
After the incident at Jhansi Medical CM instructed senior administration officials and doctors to immediately reach the spot and conduct relief and rescue operations on a war footing. He said that the death of children in the medical college is extremely sad and heartbreaking.Throughout the rescue operation, he closely monitored the situation, maintaining constant communication with officials. He extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased children and directed authorities to provide all necessary assistance to the victims.
Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak and state Principal Secretary Health Parth Sarathi Sen reached the spot on Saturday morning to oversee the relief and rescue operations. Most of the children admitted to the NICU ward were safely relocated to the PICU ward, and all are reported to be in good health.Pathak also met the families of the children, offering them comfort and reassurance.
Jhansi District Magistrate Avinash Kumar stated on Saturday morning that, “Upon receiving information about the incident, fire brigade and rescue teams were rushed to the spot. In addition, all senior officers and health department officials promptly arrived to coordinate and execute rescue and relief operations with utmost speed.” Dr. Narendra Singh Sengar, Principal of the Medical College, confirmed that the rescued children were safely relocated to various wards within the medical college, the district hospital, and private nursing homes. He assured that all the children are completely safe and have not sustained any burn or suffocation injuries.
He said,” The medical college is equipped with 146 fire extinguisher systems, all of which undergo regular audits to ensure their functionality. The fire extinguisher in the NICU ward was operational and used during the incident. Any deficiencies identified during routine audits are promptly addressed. The most recent audit was conducted in February, and a mock drill was successfully carried out in June.”