In a devastating incident from Bhopal, at least 4 infants were reported to have died after a fire erupted inside a govt hospital’s pediatric ICU. The incident happened at Kamla Nehru Hospital’s children’s ward. The hospital is situated along the premises of Hamidia Hospital, a state-run hospital. In the incident 36 of the 40 infants in the ICU were rescued. However, 4 infants succumbed to their injuries and passed away. After the incident was reported, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed his grief and added that a high-level probe will be issued into the matter.

Although it hasn’t been ascertained as of yet, the cause of the fire is being widely speculated as short-circuit.

Contents hide
1. Background
2. The Facts of the Matter
3. Short Circuit Cause of Bhopal Hospital Fire
4. Eye Witness Share Horrors After Fire in Infant ICU
5. “Unbearable Pain”: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan Condoles Death

Background

Lately, if one connects the dots, a new trend of fire-related accidents in hospitals has emerged.

An Indian Express report has claimed that as many as 93 patients died in 24 fire related incidents since August 2020 in India.

Further, a ToI report says that since the past 14-15 months, a total of 51 people have died in fire related accidents in Maharashtra alone.

Earlier this month, 10 patients died in an Ahmednagar hospital due to a fire that broke in the ICU. And even tragic news came in January, 2021, when 10 infants died after a fire broke out in Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) in Bhandara, Maharashtra.

Experts suggest that over stressed health infrastructure can be a reason for this surge in fire-related incidents. Moreover, hospitals that have to increase number of beds in its premises during emergency, may not have enough time to enhance and secure the electricity system.

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The Facts of the Matter

At least 4 infants succumbed to a fire-related incident that occurred inside the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) of the Kamla Nehru Hospital. According to reports 36 infants were rescued in the incident and the remaining 4 infants couldn’t be saved. The 4 infants that passed away were already in a critical condition, it was reported.

Short Circuit Cause of Bhopal Hospital Fire

According to Vishwas Sarang, Medical Health Education Minister the cause of the accident appeared as short-circuit. In various media reports, Mr. Sarang was reported to have reached inside the ward after the news reached to him. He further labelled the whole ordeal “very scary”. The Medical Health Education Minister also added that after the incident, 2 doctors were deployed per patient to make sure that the condition of the infants remain stable.

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Eye Witness Share Horrors After Fire in Infant ICU

Mr. Narang claimed that the rescue team took the infants to an adjoining ward with their “own hands”. However, the eye-witnesses had a different story to tell. Firstpost reported that several families alleged that the hospital staff fled from the fire instead of helping the infants.

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“Unbearable Pain”: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan Condoles Death

Meanwhile, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took to Twitter and claimed that the deaths of the infant brought him “unbearable pain”. “The untimely departure of children from the world is an unbearable pain. I pray to God for peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the families of these children. It is my wish that those who were injured in the incident get a speedy recovery,” CM Singh tweeted.

Later, the office of the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister also announced ex-gratia of Rs. 4 lakhs to the deceased’s family.

Arf Msood, a Congress MLA claimed that the incident was the second in line of similar incidents from the same building. He also added that a high-level inquiry must be issued and justice should be doled out to those responsible.