A devastating fire devastated a town on Friday night. neonatal intensive care unit in a hospital in the city of Jhansi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, northern India, leaving a balance of 10 newborns died and others 16 injuredaccording to local authorities.
The fire, which originated in the Hospital Maharani Laxmi Baispread quickly through the pavilion where 55 babies were receiving treatment, the local official reported Bimal Kumar Dubey.
Emergency crews managed to rescue 45 babieswho are being treated in nearby hospitals. Although the exact causes of the fire were not determined, Brajesh Pathakdeputy prime minister of the state, assured that a thorough investigation will be carried out.
“We will identify those responsible for this tragedy and take strict action. The government is with families during this difficult time” stated Pathak, who also met with the victims’ families.
When the firefighters arrived at the scene, The pavilion was already engulfed in flames and columns of smoke, which made rescue efforts difficult.. Emergency crews had to break windows to access the interior and evacuate the newborns.
However, witnesses indicated that the rescue operation began a few 30 minutes after the fire broke out, which delayed the evacuation and complicated the situation.
The accident generated much criticism about the security measures from the hospital. Although the neonatal unit had fire alarms, they were not activated during the incident, according to parents and witnesses.
“If the security alarm had worked, we could have acted sooner and saved more lives“he lamented Naresh Kumara father who lost his baby in the fire.
The fires in Hospital infrastructures are not unusual in Indiawhere safety regulations are often ignored and maintenance is poor. This incident joins a list of similar tragedies that have highlighted the lack of effective protocols for the prevention and management of emergencies in the country.
The tragedy has brought into focus the conditions of hospitals in India and the urgent need to improve safety systems. Akhtar Hussainwhose son was rescued and is receiving treatment in an adjacent room, agreed that this tragedy could have been avoided with better protocols.
For its part, The state government promised to provide support to affected families and reinforce safety inspections in hospitals to prevent future incidents..
Meanwhile, authorities are investigating possible perpetrators and evaluating measures to improve security at health facilities in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
(With information from AP)
