LUCKNOW, India – Officials said that 10 newborns died in a fire that broke out in the neonatal unit of a hospital in India on November 16, and 16 babies clung to life after the fire caused by a faulty oxygen machine.

Building fires are common in India due to shoddy construction and routine disregard for safety regulations.

The fire broke out at around 22.30 local time on November 15 at the Maharani Lakshmibai Medical College in Jhansi, about 450 kilometers south of the capital New Delhi.

Footage from the scene shows charred beds and walls inside the ward, with a crowd of grieving families waiting outside.

“My child is gone forever,” a mother cried out, clutching her head in grief.

While hospital staff connected their arms to intravenous drips, babies just a few days old rescued from the fire were laid side by side on a bed elsewhere in the hospital.

“Unfortunately, ten babies died,” Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told reporters. “Seven bodies have been identified. Three bodies have not been identified yet.”

Superintendent of Police Gyanendra Kumar Singh said 16 more rescued babies were receiving medical treatment.

He added that the fire most likely started from a piece of machinery used to enrich the oxygen level in the atmosphere.

“All rescued children are safe and receiving medical attention,” Mr Singh told AFP. It was stated that the fire was most likely caused by a fire in the oxygen concentrator.

Mr. Pathak said a safety audit of the hospital was conducted in February, followed by a fire drill three months later.

“The cause of the fire will be investigated,” he said. “If any fault is found, strict action will be taken against those responsible and no one will be spared.”

Broadcaster NDTV reported that a total of 54 babies were in the neonatal intensive care unit when the fire broke out.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the deaths as “heartbreaking” in a post on social media platform X.

“I offer my deepest condolences to those who lost their innocent children in this incident. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this great loss,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced compensation of 500,000 rupees (S$8,000) to the bereaved families.

“The regional administration and relevant authorities have been instructed to conduct relief and rescue operations on a warlike basis,” he wrote to X.

The Nov. 15 fire came six months after a similar fire at a children’s hospital in New Delhi that killed six newborns.

Authorities said the hospital was not properly licensed and lacked proper fire exits, and police subsequently arrested a doctor and the facility owner.

The May fire occurred just hours after a fire broke out at a packed amusement park in another part of the country, killing at least 27 people, including children. AFP