- November 16, 2024
Jhansi Hospital Fire: Our Kids ‘Murdered’, Parents Tell News18; CM Yogi Expedites Govt Response – News18
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Many parents recounted their terrifying ordeal to News18. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath upon receiving news of the incident promptly directed officials to speed up relief efforts
While officials initially cited a short circuit as the likely cause of the fire, witness accounts suggest other possibilities. Image/News18
A defunct fire alarm system, delayed response, poor coordination, single entry-exit point, outdated firefighting equipment, and overcrowding resulted in the tragic deaths of around 10 infants after a fire broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi district on Friday evening, witnesses said. 16 other infants suffered burn injuries and are battling for their lives.
Some bereaved parents said their children were “murdered” due to the negligence and callous approach of the authorities and the erring officials should be treated like criminals.
‘I don’t know how to tell Savita, who is still waiting for her baby’
Kishan Kumar, a daily wage labourer from Jhansi, is in deep shock. “I can’t believe I’ve lost my world. Two things haunt me the most—one, I never got to hug my baby, and two, what will I tell my wife, who just underwent a C-section and is waiting to hold her child?” he says with a shaky voice. “Just hours ago, when my wife gave birth, a nurse called me into the operation theatre (OT) to show me my baby. I still remember the brief glimpse—I wanted to hug her, but I wasn’t allowed. They rushed her to the NICU. If I had known I’d never see her again, I would never have let her go. Now, I don’t know how to tell Savita, who is still waiting for her baby.”
Kumar called the incident a complete failure on the medical college’s part. “Our children have been murdered. The erring officials should be treated like criminals. I appeal to Yogi ji to take strictest action against the erring officials,” he said.
‘Had to see babies burning alive’
Recounting the NICU horror, a devastated couple from Mahoba shared the chilling ordeal. “On November 9, my wife Neetu gave birth to our baby prematurely, and the baby was kept in the NICU for observation. While we were in our room, at around 10.30 pm sudden chaos erupted in the hospital,” Neetu’s husband recounted.
The NICU fire tragedy at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi has left families shattered and exposed critical lapses in infrastructure and safety protocols.
“When we inquired, we were told smoke was coming from the NICU. We rushed there and saw flames engulfing the ward. I tried to barge in, but the entrance was too narrow. There was no alarm, only cries and chaos everywhere. We were forced to watch helplessly as the babies were burnt alive,” said one grief-stricken father, struggling to console his wife.
One entry-exit point, window used to rescue infants
Witnesses revealed that it took the fire brigade nearly half an hour to arrive. By then, the hospital staff, locals, and firefighters had started breaking windows to rescue the children, as the NICU had the same entry and exit point, further complicating the operation.
“If the NICU had been on an upper floor, the rescue would have been even more difficult and time-consuming. Thankfully, it was on the ground floor,” said a victim’s relative.
Cause of fire still not known
While officials initially cited a short circuit as the likely cause of the fire, witness accounts suggest other possibilities. Some reported hearing a loud bang, speculating that a cylinder explosion may have triggered the fire. One witness, who claimed to have been inside the NICU when the incident occurred, stated, “The fire broke out when a staff member lit a matchstick to fix an oxygen pipe. That might have caused the tragedy.”
Avinash Kumar, the district magistrate of Jhansi, said, “Thirty-seven children have been safely rescued. The fire broke out in one of the two units of the NICU, possibly due to a short circuit. Out of the 54 children admitted at the time, 44 were rescued. Unfortunately, 10 children lost their lives.”
More than 50 infants admitted against capacity of 18 beds
Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, who visited Jhansi on Saturday morning, revealed alarming details about the fire tragedy. “There were 49 children in the ward at the time of the incident, though the facility’s capacity is only 18 beds,” he stated, highlighting overcrowding as a critical issue.
Pathak added that 17 children injured in the fire are currently undergoing treatment, with seven admitted to private hospitals and the remaining being treated in the emergency wing of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College. The deputy CM said that seven of the 10 victims have been identified and a committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
Earlier, additional director general of police (Kanpur Zone) Alok Singh confirmed that 47 infants were admitted to the NICU during the fire. “Sadly, 10 newborns lost their lives, while 37 children were rescued,” he said.
CM Yogi Adityanath ensures swift relief efforts
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath upon receiving news of the incident promptly directed officials to expedite the relief efforts. Acting on the CM’s instructions, senior officials swiftly took charge, ensuring the safe evacuation of most of the children within 15 to 20 minutes through a well-coordinated rescue operation, said sources. The children were subsequently moved to the PICU ward, where they were reported to be safe.
Throughout the rescue operation, the CM closely monitored the situation, maintaining constant communication with officials, the sources said. He extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased children and directed authorities to provide all necessary assistance to the victims.
Deputy CM meets bereaved families, promises full support
Acting on the CM’s instructions, deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak and principal secretary for health Parth Sarathi Sen arrived at the location to oversee the relief and rescue operations.
Top officials from Jhansi, including the commissioner, deputy inspector general of police, district magistrate, senior superintendent of police, and senior health department officers were present at the site. “Thanks to CM Yogi Adityanath’s proactive measures, the situation was brought under control within minutes. 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,” said a source.
Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak met with the families of the children, offering them comfort and reassurance. He emphasised that CM Yogi Adityanath was personally monitoring the situation and assured that the government stood firmly with the affected families.
Following CM Yogi’s directives, financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh is being provided to the families of the deceased children and Rs 50,000 to the families of the injured children, reaffirming the government’s commitment to providing every possible support.
‘Rescued children in good health’
Jhansi district magistrate Avinash Kumar stated, “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 district hospital, and private nursing homes. He assured that all the children were completely safe and had not sustained any burn or suffocation injuries.
‘Firefighting equipment fully functional, mock drill held in June’
Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak expressed deep sorrow over the incident, calling it extremely unfortunate. He highlighted that CM Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the matter and emphasised that the state government was taking the incident very seriously.
“The causes of the incident are under investigation,” he stated. “Instructions have been issued for a multi-level probe. The first investigation will be conducted by the health department at the government level, the second by the district police and fire department, and the third through a magisterial inquiry. The exact cause of the incident will be identified, and if any negligence is found at any level, strict action will be taken.”
The deputy CM praised the bravery of the staff, doctors, and rescue teams involved in saving the children and confirmed that the kids were being prioritised for care. He further stated that all firefighting equipment in the medical college was fully functional, a fire safety audit had been conducted in February, and a mock drill was carried out in June.
Dr Narendra Singh Sengar, principal, Jhansi Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, 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.”
Claims regarding faulty fire extinguishers at the medical college are entirely unfounded, he said. “The fire, which broke out in the NICU ward, was caused by a short circuit. A detailed investigation into the incident is currently underway,” said Sengar.
Leaders react
The incident has drawn strong reactions from leaders across the nation. President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed it “heart-wrenching”. He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PM’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also weighed in, offering his condolences and demanding a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire.
Some kids still missing?
However, many of the grief-stricken families are inconsolable. In addition to those who lost their loved ones, many parents claim that their children are still missing after the fire.
One woman, Rani Sen, reported that her three-day-old niece was unaccounted for. “My sister-in-law, Sandhya, gave birth three days ago. When her health worsened, she was admitted to the medical college. After the fire, Sandhya’s child went missing,” Rani said anxiously.
