AHMEDABAD: A newborn baby, a doctor, and two others were charred to death when an ambulance caught fire near Modasa in Gujarat’s Aravalli district, turning a midnight medical emergency into a tragic inferno. Officials suspect an oxygen-cylinder blast as the cause, with police launching a detailed forensic investigation.
The ambulance, carrying the critically ill infant to Ahmedabad, suddenly burst into flames around 1 am on Tuesday. What began as a routine medical referral quickly escalated into a horrific tragedy, leaving the road shrouded in smoke and flames. CCTV footage captured the ambulance engulfed in fire.
The incident occurred outside a petrol pump on the Modasa–Dhansura highway. Aravalli Collector Prashasti Pareek and the District Police Chief rushed to the scene after reports emerged that multiple passengers were trapped inside. Officials said the blaze may have been triggered by an oxygen-cylinder explosion, consistent with the intensity of the fire.
The ordeal began hours earlier in Lunawada. “A tragic incident took place on the Ranasayed stretch at around 1 am,” said Collector Pareek. “This was a one-day-old child whose delivery had occurred in Lunawada. The family had already lost two newborns previously. This baby was precious. He was referred from Lunawada to Modasa and then to a hospital in Ahmedabad. A doctor and a nurse from the hospital were in the ambulance, along with the baby, his father, and relatives. On the way, the ambulance suddenly caught fire. At first glance, it appears the oxygen cylinder burst. Investigations and post-mortems are underway.”
The victims were identified as Jigneshbhai Maheshbhai Mochi of Lunawada, transporting his newborn nephew from Rich Hospital, Modasa, to Orange Hospital, Ahmedabad. Four people seated at the back – the newborn, his father, the attending doctor, and the nurse – died in the fire. The child’s grandmother, uncle, and the driver, who were seated in the front, managed to escape with burns.
Aravalli SP Manoharsinh Jadeja said, “Two kilometres from Modasa town, a fire broke out in the back of the ambulance for reasons still unclear – possibly technical or related to oxygen pressure. Four persons at the back died on the spot. Three in the front are injured. Seven people were travelling in total. Our investigation is ongoing.”
Modasa Municipal Fire Officer Hemraj Vaghela confirmed that a distress call was received at 1.40 am. “Our team reached immediately and controlled the flames. Initially, we found three bodies – a brother, a sister, and the child – all burnt. Later we learned the father had also died. The ambulance belonged to Orange Hospital, Ahmedabad.”
Survivor Gaurang Mochi described the ordeal: “When we left Modasa, we had the address of Orange Hospital. They sent an ambulance from Ahmedabad. We had just left Modasa when the fire erupted. My brother, the doctor, the nurse, and the baby were all sitting behind… and they were burnt. My mother, the driver, and I were in the front and somehow managed to escape.”
Modasa Town Police have registered a case of accidental death under Section 194 of the Bharat Nyay Shamita (BNS). Investigators, with forensic experts, are examining the ambulance, focusing on the suspected oxygen-cylinder blast, wiring, and possible mechanical faults.