Sun Nov 17 01:08:15 UTC 2024: ## Jhansi Hospital Fire Kills 10 Newborns; Overcrowded NICU Blamed
**Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India –** Ten newborns perished in a fire that ripped through the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi late Friday night. The tragedy occurred in a ward already operating far beyond its 18-bed capacity, housing 49 infants at the time of the blaze.
According to hospital officials, the high cost of treatment at other facilities draws patients from across Bundelkhand and even Madhya Pradesh, leading to chronic overcrowding. While a new 51-bed NICU was nearing completion and scheduled to open within a month, the existing ward tragically became the site of the fire.
Thirty-nine infants were rescued, with one nurse sustaining leg burns while attempting to save the babies and fight the fire. The deceased were primarily located in a section of the NICU designated for critically ill infants. The surviving babies have been transferred to other wards within the medical college, the district hospital, and private hospitals and are reported to be stable.
Authorities stated that all fire extinguishers in the ward were functional and used, and a fire drill had been conducted in June. Investigations are underway at three levels: the health department, the police, and the district administration, in addition to a magisterial inquiry. The Uttar Pradesh government has promised strict action against those found responsible and has announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh (approximately $6,000 USD) for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 (approximately $600 USD) for the injured nurse. The NICU has been sealed, and police are stationed on-site while reviewing CCTV footage to determine the cause of the fire. The incident highlights the critical need for adequate healthcare infrastructure and resources in the Bundelkhand region.
First Piper 