No alarm triggered

Fire in Indian hospital: ten newborns dead

(Bild: kameraOne (Screenshot))

At least ten newborn babies have died in a fire at a hospital in the northern Indian city of Jhansi, according to the authorities. 16 other babies are said to be in mortal danger after the fire.

"Ten babies have unfortunately died," said a representative of the state government of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday regarding the fire on Friday evening. "Seven bodies have been identified. Three bodies have not been identified so far," the spokesperson said.

Short circuit cause of the fire
The fire broke out in the hospital's neonatal unit at around 10.30 p.m. local time (6 p.m. CET) on Friday. The news portal "Times Now" reported that another 16 babies were in mortal danger after the fire. According to the broadcaster NDTV, a total of 54 newborns were in the ward when the fire ignited. Initial findings suggest that a short circuit caused the fire.

(Bild: kameraOne (Screenshot))

Fire triggered mass panic in the hospital
Because no alarm had been triggered, the evacuation of the children was delayed, according to the reports. The fire triggered a mass panic when patients and relatives tried to leave the building. The flames have since been extinguished.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the deaths "heartbreaking" in a post on the online service X. "My deepest condolences to those who have lost their innocent children," Modi said. "I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss." The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and compensation for those affected.

Frequent fires due to low safety standards
Fires occur frequently in India due to low safety standards and a lack of fire safety controls. Many public buildings have neither escape routes nor functioning fire extinguishers.