Jhansi Hospital Fire: Ten newborns lost their lives, 16 others critically injured
Panel Formed To Probe Incident .
Jhansi Hospital Fire: Ten newborns lost their lives, 16 others critically injured in a fire that broke out in the children’s ward of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi, on Friday night. According to hospital officials, there were around 54 infants admitted to the NICU ward.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled with the families of the deceased and announced an assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin.
The UP CM announced financial support from the chief minister’s Relief Fund. “On the instructions of the chief minister, assistance of Rs 5 lakh each is being provided to the parents of the newborn babies who died in the incident and Rs 50,000 each to the families of the injured from the chief minister’s Relief Fund.
Tamil Nadu: Man Stabs Duty Doctor in KCMSH hospital, arrested
The chief minister has directed the divisional commissioner and DIG of Jhansi to submit a report regarding the incident within 12 hours,” UP CMO office said in a post on X.
The state government formed a four-member committee to investigate the tragic incident.
The committee has been tasked with identifying the cause of the fire and determining whether any negligence was involved. The government has also requested a report within seven days.
Bihar: Railway worker crushed to death during shunting at Barauni Junction
According to police investigations, there was absence of emergency exits. Also there were non-functional fire extinguishers and a lack of operational fire alarms and water sprinkler systems.
The police also found a large number of small and big oxygen cylinders on the premises pointing to ‘illegal refilling’.
The committee will also provide recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future. “The committee will submit its investigation report to the government within seven days,” the order stated.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the fire at Jhansi’s Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College that killed 10 newborn babies. NHRC described the incident as “disturbing”, adding, “It indicates negligence resulting in a grave violation of human rights of victim babies in care of a government institution.”
