ROURKELA: A newborn sustained critical burn injuries after the phototherapy unit of Om Appolo Hospital at the Civil Township under RN Pali police limits here caught fire early on Saturday. With over 60 per cent burn injuries, the baby is now battling for life at Burn Care unit of Ispat General Hospital (IGH).
Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) In-charge Director R C Behera said the six-day-old baby was suffering from jaundice and undergoing treatment at the phototherapy unit. “The bassinet of the unit holding the baby caught fire due to some technical snag. The hospital staff immediately shifted the injured to IGH. However, they didn’t inform IGH staff about the incident,” he added.
Phototherapy involves the use of light to convert bilirubin molecules in the body into water soluble isomers that can be excreted out. When Behera visited the health centre along with police and Fire department officials, he found that its renewal for clinical registration had been pending since 2015. According to the Fire department, the private nursing home lacked fire safety measures and the Sundargarh district administration was recommended to seal it.
Assistant Fire Officer Saroj Sahu said the health centre authorities did not inform them about the mishap and they learnt about the incident around 7.30 am from other sources. “During verification, we found the health centre did not have fire safety certificate and adequate fire-fighting equipment,” Sahu added.