Jhansi hospital fire: President Murmu, PM Modi condole death of children, call it 'heartbreaking'

Jhansi Medical College fire tragedy: The fire broke out around 10.45 pm on Friday in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, possibly due to an electrical short circuit. A high-level probe has also been ordered into the incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condoled the death of children in a fire that engulfed the children's ward of a medical college in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district and said the local administration under the state government's supervision is making every possible effort for relief and rescue. At least 10 children died in a fire that engulfed the children's ward of the medical college in Jhansi district, officials said, as 16 others injured battled for life on Saturday.

District Magistrate (DM) Avinash Kumar told reporters that the fire broke out around 10.45 pm on Friday in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College possibly due to an electrical short circuit.

"Heartbreaking! The fire accident at Jhansi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences to those who lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss," Modi was quoted as saying in a post in Hindi on X by the Prime Minister's Office. "The local administration, under the supervision of the state government, is making every possible effort for relief and rescue," he said. 

President condoles deaths

"The news of the death of several newborn babies in the accident at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh is extremely heartbreaking. May God give strength to the bereaved parents and families to bear this cruel blow. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured babies," President Droupadi Murmu said on X.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and directed officials of the district administration to ensure proper treatment to the injured, according to a statement issued in Lucknow. "The death of children in an accident that took place in the NICU of the medical college located in Jhansi district is extremely sad and heartbreaking. District administration and concerned officials have been instructed to conduct relief and rescue operations on a war footing," he posted in Hindi on X. Adityanath directed Divisional Commissioner Bimal Kumar Dubey and Deputy Inspector General (Jhansi police range) Kalanidhi Naithani to submit a report on the matter within 12 hours, the statement added.