Delhi infant deaths: ‘Killer’ hospital flouted government norms on O2 storage
NEW DELHI: The investigation into the Baby Care New Born Child Hospital fire in which seven newborns died has revealed that the hospital had flouted the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the storage of oxygen cylinders.
As per an MHA circular dated April 23, 2021, on the guidelines on Safe Storage, Transportation and Handling of Liquid Oxygen for Medical Use, it has been stated that the oxygen must be separated from flammables and combustibles by at least 20 feet or a half-hour fire wall, post “No Smoking” and “No Open Flames” signs.
Officials told this newspaper that the cylinders were kept less than 20 feet away from the area where babies were kept.
“The probe revealed that the hospital also defied the directions under the Nursing Act. which says the number of nurses and beds should be in the ratio of 1:1 for neonatal intensive care units,” sources said.
It has been revealed that the Delhi Fire Service received the call about the incident 35 minutes after the fire had broken out. Some oxygen cylinders had, by that time, already exploded.
“We received the first call at 11.32 pm in which the caller stated that a fire had broken out at the hospital and cylinders were exploding,” said Atul Garg, director of Delhi Fire Service.
The police reportedly found that the fire had broken out around 10.55 pm, as seen in CCTV footage, but the department was informed about it 35 minutes later at 11.32 pm.
“Oxygen cylinders are robust and do not easily catch fire. Had the hospital intimated us on time, we could have doused the flames,” Garg said.