Ten babies killed as fire tears through Indian hospital
An investigation is underway at a hospital in India following a fire which killed ten babies, as ITV News' Ellie Pitt reports
Ten newborn babies have been killed by a fire which tore through a neonatal intensive care unit at a hospital in India, authorities said.
The fire occurred at a hospital in Jhansi city in northern India on Friday night, with the blaze spreading quickly through the ward where 55 infants were being treated.
45 babies were rescued, with 16 of those critically injured, but ten were killed, said Bimal Kumar Dubey, a local official.
An initial investigation pointed to lapses in safety protocols, including expired fire extinguishers and non-functional fire alarms, which officials say delayed rescue efforts.
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“We will identify those responsible for this tragedy and take strict action. The government stands with families during this difficult time,” Brajesh Pathak, the deputy chief minister of the state, said.
He added that DNA tests were being carried out after which the bodies of the babies will be handed over to their families.
Rescuers had to break through windows to reach the newborn babies, with eyewitnesses claiming the rescue operation began about 30 minutes after the fire erupted, delaying evacuation efforts.
While fire alarms had been installed in the intensive care unit, parents and witnesses said they did not activate during the blaze and hospital staff acted only after they saw signs of smoke and fire.
“If the safety alarm had worked, we could have acted sooner and saved more lives,” said Naresh Kumar, a parent who lost his baby.
Mr Pathak, the state official, said the hospital's fire safety systems were last inspected in February, followed by a mock drill in June.
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