Jhansi Medical College fire tragedy: High-level probe ordered, compensation announced after 10 infants die

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.

Jhansi Medical College Fire tragedy: At least 10 children died in a fire that engulfed the children's ward of a medical college in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district, officials said, as 16 others injured battled for life on Saturday. The Yogi Adityanath government on Saturday ordered a high-level probe whose report is to be submitted within 24 hours. The children in the outer part of the NICU were rescued, along with some of those in the interior part. Purported visuals from the medical college showed panic-struck patients and their caretakers being evacuated, even as several police personnel aided rescue and relief measures.

Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the parents of the deceased, an official said.

UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak who reached the spot on Saturday morning said, "Instructions have been given to probe the incident...local administration has been asked to submit the probe report within 24 hours. 10 newborns have died, 7 have been identified, 3 are yet to be identified, if required DNA test will be conducted...prima facie it appears to be a short circuit inside the oxygen concentrator...we will establish a helpline number for the missing newborns...I am monitoring the situation myself and we are with the affected families."

District Magistrate (DM) Avinash Kumar said 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. Those less critical are admitted in the outer section of the NICU while the more critical patients are kept in the interior part, Kumar said.

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.

In the early hours of Saturday, SSP Sudha Singh told reporters that the 16 injured children are being treated and efforts are underway to save their lives. All the doctors are available for them, along with adequate medical facilities, she said. On the cause of the incident, the SSP reiterated the DM's remarks, saying prima facie the fire appears to have been triggered by a short circuit.

The state-run medical college started services in 1968 and is one of the largest government hospitals in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh.