Jhansi: The death toll in the devastating fire at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Maharani Laxmibai Government Medical College rose to 11 on Sunday, after another infant succumbed to illness.
District Magistrate Avinash Kumar clarified that the latest death was unrelated to burn injuries sustained in the inferno. Autopsies laid bare the horror of the blaze, with maost newborns found burned beyond recognition. Over 80% of their bodies were charred, and in some cases, bones were exposed due to the intense flames, DNA samples were collected to confirm identities, providing grieving families with closure amidst the devastation. Postmortems were conducted by three medical teams on seven bodies initially, with delays in identifying three others due to the severity of their burns. By Sunday, all the deceased were identified, and their remains were handed over to their families.
At the time of the fire, 49 infants were admitted to the SNCU, though earlier reports claimed there were 55, raising questions about discrepancies in the official account. Of those admitted, 39 were rescued. The SNCU, meant for critically ill newborns, was severely overcrowded, operating at three times its capacity. Essential equipment such as warmers and monitoring machines reportedly ran continuously without breaks, a violation of safety protocols that experts say likely caused a short circuit.
Details Revealed
Preliminary investigations suggest the electrical overload triggered a spark, igniting an oxygen concentrator and spreading flames rapidly. Hospital authorities blamed the fire on a short circuit, but the exact cause remains under investigation. Heart-wrenching scenes unfolded at the hospital, where grieving parents demanded accountability for what they called gross negligence.
“My baby was just days old. They were supposed to save her, but they couldn't even protect her from fire,” said a distraught mother. Reema Devi, who lost her firstborn, pleaded through her tears, “Let me see the face of my child.” Her cries echoed the collective anguish of the victims' families, who accused the hospital of failing to prevent overcrowding and maintain equipment safety.
Uttar Pradesh Govt Launches 3-Tier Investigation
The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a three-tier investigation into the tragedy, initially led by Jhansi Divisional Commissioner Vimal Kumar Dubey. The probe was later handed over to Kinjal Singh, Director General of Medical and Health Department, though no explanation for the change has been provided.
