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At least 10 newborn babies were killed and 16 others injured after a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday night. Thirty-seven infants were rescued from the blaze, police said.
According to Alok Singh, the Additional Director General (ADG) of Kanpur Zone, the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. The infants who died were in incubators at the time of the fire. Singh confirmed that 47 newborns were admitted to the NICU at the time of the incident.
After visiting the scene, Jhansi’s Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Kalanidhi Naithani, confirmed the tragic death toll and reported that 16 infants had been injured. The district magistrate explained that the fire started between 10:30 and 10:45 pm and rapidly spread throughout the NICU. While many children were rescued, including those who were outside the unit, the fire tragically claimed the lives of 10 newborns.
“The fire brigade and rescue teams responded immediately, managing to save many children,” the district magistrate said. “We are providing medical care to those critically injured. According to the staff on duty, the fire was caused by a short circuit.”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and ordered prompt relief efforts. “The death of children in an accident at the NICU in Jhansi is extremely sad and heartbreaking,” CM Yogi wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “The district administration has been instructed to carry out relief and rescue operations on a war footing. I pray to Lord Shri Ram for the souls of the departed and for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
Following the Chief Minister’s instructions, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and the Principal Secretary for Health were sent to Jhansi to oversee the situation. CM Yogi also directed the Commissioner and DIG to launch an investigation into the cause of the fire and submit a detailed report within 12 hours.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams continuing to work in the hospital to ensure the safety of any remaining children in need of assistance.
