DELAYED EVACUATION:
One parent said the tragedy could have been prevented if the security alarm had gone off, but hospital staff instead took action after seeing signs of smoke.

• AFP and AP, LUCKNOW, India

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

The fire, which broke out at Maharani Lakshmibai Medical College in Jhansi around 22.30 on Friday night, quickly spread to the ward where 55 babies were being treated.

Local official Bimal Kumar Dubey said 45 babies were rescued and received medical care.

Photo: Reuters

Footage from the scene showed 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.”

Police chief Gyanendra Kumar Singh said the other 16 rescued babies were also receiving medical treatment.

He said the fire probably started from a piece of machinery used to enrich the oxygen level in the atmosphere.

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

Pathak, who visited the hospital and met with the families, promised government support to the families of the victims and promised a thorough investigation.

“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.”

He said the hospital had a safety inspection in February, followed by a fire drill three months later.

When the fire brigade arrived, the ward was covered in flames and smoke. Rescuers had to break windows to reach the newborn babies.

Eyewitnesses said that rescue efforts began approximately 30 minutes after the fire broke out and evacuation efforts were delayed.

The accident raised questions about the hospital’s safety measures. While fire alarms were installed in the intensive care unit, parents and witnesses said the alarms were not activated during the fire. Hospital staff took action after seeing signs of smoke and fire.

Naresh Kumar, a parent who lost his baby, said, “If the security alarm had worked, we could have taken action earlier and saved more lives.”

Akhtar Hussain, whose son was rescued and treated in the adjoining ward, admitted that the tragedy could have been avoided if the hospital had better safety protocols.

Friday’s fire comes six months after a similar fire at a children’s hospital in New Delhi 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.