Three Newborns Die in Amravati Hospital NICU Fire, State Orders Inquiry
Three newborn babies died after a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the District Women’s Hospital in Amravati in the early hours of Monday. The tragedy has prompted the Maharashtra government to order a high-level inquiry into the incident.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the deaths and announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the family of each deceased child. He directed the Amravati district administration to cover all medical expenses for the injured children undergoing treatment.
Fadnavis stated that a high-level investigation would determine the exact cause of the fire and verify whether required safety procedures were followed. He questioned whether the hospital’s mandatory fire audit was properly conducted or if lapses had been recorded only on paper, adding that those responsible would face stringent action.
Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prakash Abitkar visited the hospital to inspect the site and announced the formation of a seven-member committee to investigate the incident. Headed by Health Department Commissioner Sanjay Katkar, the committee includes senior officials from the Maharashtra State Electricity Board, AIIMS, and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research. The panel has been tasked with submitting its report within eight days.
According to Abitkar, the committee will examine potential faults in ventilators and electrical systems, the status of fire audits at the facility, and any administrative or technical irregularities that may have contributed to the fire. He noted that the hospital had opened only two years ago with modern medical facilities, making the incident deeply concerning.
Abitkar also visited Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Medical College to check on the condition of the newborns who were rescued from the fire and are currently receiving medical care.
Following the incident, the Maharashtra government announced plans to review fire safety arrangements across both government and private hospitals in the state. The Health Minister said discussions would be held with agency heads at Mantralaya to issue directives ensuring regular and thorough fire audits.
