NEW DELHI: As many as 20 newborns were safely rescued from a hospital in the national capital after a fire broke out in the early hours of Friday, a top fire department official said. According to the official, information was received at 1:35 am regarding a fire at a hospital in west Delhi’s Vaishali Colony following which nine fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
“The fire started in the basement of the building, where some furniture and papers were stored. The building, which is spread over approximately 180sq yards, has a basement and ground plus three-floor,” said Delhi Fire Services Director Atul Garg.
He said the hospital was located on the first floor and twenty newborns who were admitted there were safely rescued. The fire was doused by 2:25 am. All the infants were shifted to nearby medical facilities of which 13 were shifted to Arya Hospital in Janakpuri, two to New Born and Child Hospital at Dwarka More, another two to J K Hospital in Janakpuri and three were discharged.
Garg said the hospital did not have a No-Objection Certificate from the fire department. The area where the building was located had narrow lanes and it was difficult for the fire tenders to reach the spot. Fortunately, the firefighters reached the spot on time as the building was close to the fire station.
“One team of firefighters was involved in dousing the fire and it ensured that the fire did not spread further. Since sufficient water had already been used, the fire was contained but the first floor was engulfed by smoke,” the DFS chief stated.
The other team managed to rescue all the newborns and immediately shifted them to a safe room. Later, they were admitted to other medical facilities. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) M Harsha Vardhan said a preliminary inquiry has revealed that the fire broke out due to a short circuit on the ground floor. The police have registered a case under sections 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC against the building owner and the hospital owner.