Fire engulfed the neonatal ward of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College Hospital in Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday night.
The blaze claimed the lives of at least 10 newborns, while 16 others remain in critical condition. Authorities have cited an electrical fault as the likely cause of the fire, which began around 10:30 p.m. local time.
Relatives of the infants broke windows to access the ward, desperately trying to save their children.
“The nurses were pushing people out, but those who managed to get in grabbed any child they could,” a grief-stricken grandmother told ANI news agency.
Santoshi, a new mother, recounted her anguish, unable to find her 10-day-old baby in the confusion. “When the fire broke out, I couldn’t go inside to rescue my baby. How could I? When no one was able to get inside, how could anyone hand me my baby?” she said, her voice breaking with despair.
Hospital staff managed to rescue 44 infants from the neonatal ward. However, three of the 10 deceased babies remain unidentified, compounding the trauma for grieving families. Photographs from the scene showed anguished parents gathered outside the hospital, their faces etched with pain.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire originated in the intensive care unit due to a short circuit or a malfunction in a machine used to enhance oxygen levels.
The Uttar Pradesh government has announced compensation of ₹500,000 ($5,900) for each bereaved family.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, describing the deaths as “heart-wrenching.” In a statement shared online, he said, “My deepest condolences to those who have lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss.”
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak revealed that a safety review of the hospital had been conducted in February, followed by a fire drill in June.
