A fire broke out at the children’s ward in Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh which resulted in the death of at least 10 children and 16 children in critical condition. The fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) around 10:45 pm on Friday after a short circuit in electrical supply, sources said here today citing District Magistrate Avinash Kumar.
Originally there were reports of 10 children dead, the DM said Further, he pointed out that while some of the children in the outer NICU section had been rescued, some from the interior of the NICU. Evidently, the external area accommodates fewer severe patients, while more severe patients may be located in the interior of the building.
Soon around midnight, arriving Divisional Commissioner Bimal Kumar Dubey stated that about 30 children were in the interior section most of them were rescued. Confirming the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police SSP Sudha Singh said 16 of the injured children were being treated. Sources indicate that at the time the incidence occurred, more than fifty children were admitted in the NICU. Members of the fire brigade as well as police forces arrived at the scene and senior representatives of district authorities managed the operation, which was completed in approximately 01:00 am.
Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has described the incident as ‘very sad and painful’. He urged officials to treat the injured correctly and ordered to perform relief operations more actively. On X, he sent his condolence and wished those injured to have a quick recovery. The member in charge of health in the government, Brajesh Pathak, who is also the deputy chief minister, visited Jhansi accompanied by the principal health secretary at the orders of the chief minister.
The Deputy CM Adityanath ordered Divisional Commissioner Dubey, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Jhansi Zone Kalanidhi Naithani to file a report within 12 hours. I was saddened to hear this Jhansi MP Anurag Sharma said in his statement though he was not present in the city but was closely following the event.
(input from agency)
