Three Newborns Die in Amravati District Women's Hospital NICU Fire, Probe Underway
Three newborn babies died after a fire broke out inside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the District Women’s Hospital in Amravati. The blaze erupted around 3:30 am on the third floor of the hospital building, reportedly following an explosion involving a ventilator unit.
At the time of the incident, approximately 35 newborn babies were admitted to the ward. Doctors, nurses, and hospital staff launched an emergency evacuation to rescue infants from the smoke-filled unit. While several babies were safely evacuated, three suffered fatal burn injuries. Six other newborns were transferred to the Super Speciality Hospital for further medical treatment.
District Magistrate Ashish Yerekar said on Monday that an investigation into the incident is underway to establish the exact cause. Dismissing allegations that fire safety procedures were neglected, Yerekar affirmed that fire audits had been conducted at the healthcare facility.
“No, the fire audit for last year was indeed conducted, and they have also applied for this year's fire audit with the PWD Electrical wing. I have seen the documents myself, so it is not the case that the fire audit was skipped,” Yerekar told reporters.
Authorities are now examining the medical equipment, specifically focusing on the unit that triggered the automatic alarm. Yerekar noted that investigators must determine whether a technical fault occurred within the machinery itself.
“If any administrative lapse comes to light, no one will be spared. We will fix accountability for everyone involved. However, if there is a fault in the company's equipment, we will take strict action against the company as well,” Yerekar added.
A father of an infant admitted to the hospital recounted that his wife first noticed the flames and alerted the nursing staff on duty. Affected families have urged authorities to support the victims, demanding that the government cover medical costs for children transferred to private hospitals and ensure they receive comprehensive care.
The official probe is ongoing to establish whether administrative lapses or equipment failures contributed to the fatal fire.
