The nightmare unfolded at the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College Hospital in Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh, where a devastating fire in the neonatal ward led to the loss of at least 10 newborns. Witnesses describe horrific scenes as parents, in a frenzied attempt to save their children, broke windows to enter the ward, despite officials trying to manage the chaos.
Relatives recounted the frantic moments as the fire engulfed the intensive care unit around 10:30 PM local time, with eyewitness reports emphasizing the despair felt by parents. One grieving grandmother relayed, “The nurses were pushing people out, but those who managed to get in grabbed any child they could.”
Sadly, three of the deceased infants remain unidentified, intensifying the anguish of parents desperately searching for their babies. Santoshi, a mother of a 10-day-old infant, lamented her inability to rescue her child during the catastrophe, expressing the hopelessness felt when accessibility was denied by the blazes.
Authorities managed to rescue 44 infants, with the condition of at least 16 being reported as critical. Preliminary investigations suggest that an electrical fault, potentially involving equipment used to regulate oxygen levels, sparked the outbreak.
Social media was flooded with messages of sorrow, including a heartfelt statement from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the loss as "heart-wrenching" and extended condolences to affected families.
In the aftermath, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced compensation of 500,000 rupees (approximately $5,900) for bereaved families while also noting that a safety assessment was conducted earlier this year. The tragedy marks the second similar incident within six months, following a fire in a Delhi facility that claimed six babies' lives.
Relatives recounted the frantic moments as the fire engulfed the intensive care unit around 10:30 PM local time, with eyewitness reports emphasizing the despair felt by parents. One grieving grandmother relayed, “The nurses were pushing people out, but those who managed to get in grabbed any child they could.”
Sadly, three of the deceased infants remain unidentified, intensifying the anguish of parents desperately searching for their babies. Santoshi, a mother of a 10-day-old infant, lamented her inability to rescue her child during the catastrophe, expressing the hopelessness felt when accessibility was denied by the blazes.
Authorities managed to rescue 44 infants, with the condition of at least 16 being reported as critical. Preliminary investigations suggest that an electrical fault, potentially involving equipment used to regulate oxygen levels, sparked the outbreak.
Social media was flooded with messages of sorrow, including a heartfelt statement from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the loss as "heart-wrenching" and extended condolences to affected families.
In the aftermath, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced compensation of 500,000 rupees (approximately $5,900) for bereaved families while also noting that a safety assessment was conducted earlier this year. The tragedy marks the second similar incident within six months, following a fire in a Delhi facility that claimed six babies' lives.
