Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Saturday visited Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi, where at least 10 children were killed and 16 are still struggling for lives following a massive fire in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the hospital last night.
Posting on microblogging site X, Brajesh Pathak said, "Today I inspected the unfortunate fire accident in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi and gave necessary instructions to the officials. During this, Principal Secretary, Medical and Health in Uttar Pradesh, Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma and other officials were present.
Perhaps it was a short circuit, but the fire broke out in the NICU of the medical college in Jhansi.
Hospital officials mention that there were 54 babies in the NICU ward, and as many as 45 babies were rescued.
There were 54 babies admitted in the NICU ward. All of a sudden there was a fire inside Oxygen concentrator. An attempt was made to moisten the fire. Since the room is highly oxygenated, the fire spread soon. Many babies were rescued. 10 babies died, and injured babies are being treated, Chief Medical Superintendent at Jhansi Medical College, Sachin Mahor said.
Doctors and medical staff were seen evacuating patients by breaking the windows of the ward filled with smoke before fire brigade officials reached the spot.
"As per the staff present in the ward, the fire broke out around 10.35 p.m. The fire broke out in one of the two units of the children's ward possibly due to a short circuit.". The children who were in the outer part of the NICU were rescued and some of those who were in the inner part. We have formed a committee to probe the cause of the fire. While most of the children were rescued, as per initial information, 10 children were killed in the accident, said Avinash Kumar, District Magistrate of Jhansi.
Furthermore, six fire engines are there at the spot, he added.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and directed the district administration to expedite the relief work
The chief minister said that an adequate number of fire brigade vehicles had been deployed for the relief and rescue work.
Accordingly, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and Principal Health Secretary Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma went to Jhansi on the instructions of CM Adityanath.
CM Adityanath has also directed the Divisional Commissioner of Jhansi and the Deputy Inspector General of Police to submit a report regarding the sad fire incident in 12 hours.
CM Adityanath also condoled the families of dead children in a post on X.
The death of children in an accident that took place in the NICU of the medical college in Jhansi district is very tragic and tears one's eyes. May God provide salvation to the souls who died and speedy recovery to those who are injured, he wrote on X.
The district administration and concerned officials have been asked to increase the speed of the relief and rescue operations, said CM Adityanath.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak also condoled the tragic fire accident that took the lives of 10 newborn infants and posted on X saying: "The death of many newborn babies in the unfortunate fire accident in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (SNCU Ward) of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College, Jhansi, today is extremely sad and heartbreaking. I pray to Lord Shri Ram for the souls that perished and for swift recovery to the injured.
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