Sat Nov 16 20:58:05 UTC 2024: ## Jhansi Hospital Fire Kills 10 Infants, Leaves One Missing
**JHANSI, Uttar Pradesh, November 16, 2024** – At least 10 infants perished in a devastating fire that ripped through the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi on Friday night. The tragedy left 16 other infants critically injured, and one child remains missing.
The fire broke out rapidly, fueled by the high oxygen concentration necessary for the infants’ care, according to hospital staff. Heroic efforts by hospital staff, including nurses and doctors, along with brave family members, resulted in the rescue of approximately 20 infants. One witness, Kripal Singh, described seeing a nurse on fire and immediately joining the rescue efforts, saving his grandchild in the process. Another, Kuldeep Singh, recounted a frantic search for his 15-day-old son, who was eventually identified late Saturday evening at another ward after being rescued by a different person.
Chaos erupted at the medical college as distraught parents struggled to identify their children amidst the aftermath. The identification process was delayed, leading to protests demanding DNA tests to ensure accurate identification. Dr. Sudhakar Pandey, Chief Medical Officer of Jhansi, confirmed that all 10 deceased infants have been identified and released to their families following post-mortems. While authorities initially expressed concern over the missing child, they now suspect the family may have taken the child home prior to the incident.
The incident sparked outrage, particularly after reports emerged of the hospital being hastily cleaned and prepared for a visit by Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak. The families of the victims are demanding a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire and improvements to fire safety protocols at the hospital. The investigation continues.
First Piper 