MUMBAI: At least 10 newborns died in a f ire in Maharashtra’s Bhandara district general hospital early on Saturday morning. While seven infants died of suffocation, three got burnt. Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said “prima facie, the fire was caused by a short-circuit. But a committee has been formed and it will submit a detailed report.”
According to the parents of the children, the fire broke out around midnight and the entire Sick Newborn Care Unit was engulfed in heavy smoke. They alleged that no hospital staff members were available in the unit at the time of the incident. The parents claimed no hospital official had cared to share proper information with them and demanded stern action against those responsible.
Tope said postmortem of the infants would not be carried out. “We have decided to hand over the bodies to the families of the deceased. The government is with the parent of these children.” The minister rushed to Bhandara and said all possible help and treatment would be extended to them and the guilty would be punished. In the fire, medical equipment of the Sick Newborn Care Unit was also charred and some wooden portion reduced to ashes.
A right to Information reply pointed out that since 2018, no fire audit has been done in the hospital and no fire safety equipment was in place and functioning. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has now announced the audit of all government hospitals across the state. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a high level six-member committee headed by Sandya Tayade, Director, Health Services.
The government announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh. “The committee will study the structure, reason of fire and whether the fire equipment was in place and in working condition. It will submit a comprehensive report,” Tope said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Heart-wrenching tragedy in Bhandara, Maharashtra, where we have lost precious young lives.”
Fire safety audit of all hospitals ordered
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has now announced the audit of all government hospitals across Maharashtra, while a high level six-member committee will probe the fire.