Three newborns suffered severe burns after a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Chhindwara District Hospital at around 1:50 a.m. on Saturday.
Civil Surgeon of the district hospital, Kanchan Dubey, said the incident occurred when a spark in the filament of a warmer used in the NICU caused the equipment to catch fire, injuring three newborns.
"At around 1:50 a.m., a spark occurred in the filament of a warmer used in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), causing the warmer to catch fire. Consequently, three newborns sustained burns. Specialists, including the Dean and Medical Superintendent of Chhindwara District Medical College, were called in to examine them. Following the assessment, all three newborns were referred to Jabalpur Medical College for advanced treatment," Dubey told ANI.
Of the 33 babies in the NICU, 30 were safely evacuated by hospital staff and security personnel using fire extinguishers.
The three injured infants were subsequently rushed to Jabalpur hospital for specialised treatment. One of them remains in critical condition and may require urgent surgery.
Authorities are investigating the incident and reviewing the hospital's fire-safety measures.
(With inputs from ANI)
