Three newborn babies died after a ventilator exploded and triggered a fire at a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Amravati in the early hours of Monday.
Dozens of infants undergoing treatment at the hospital were evacuated following the fire which reportedly erupted around 3.3.0 am on the third floor of the Amravati District Women's Hospital.
Six infants, who suffered burn injuries, were shifted to a nearby super-speciality hospital.
According to reports, 39 newborns had been admitted to the state-run hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which houses premature and critically ill babies, when the fire erupted.
Doctors, nurses and other staff on duty launched an evacuation operation and managed to rescue several infants from the ward. However, three infants died after sustaining severe burn injuries and inhaling smoke.
Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who is also Amravati's guardian minister, has ordered an inquiry into the incident and assured that those injured were receiving all necessary medical assistance.
Amravati Police Commissioner Rakesh Ola said the NICU has three compartments: one each for inborn and outborn babies, and one for stepdown care for children ready to be discharged.
The fire broke out in the outborn babies' compartment. After the blaze erupted, the hospital staff on duty rushed to the spot and safely evacuated the other children.
The cause of the ventilator explosion is yet to be established.
"The government stands with the relatives of the deceased children and the government and administration are providing all possible help," said Bawankule.
