Three Newborns Die in Fire at Amravati District Women’s Hospital NICU
A fire that began with a ventilator spark in the neonatal intensive care unit of Amravati’s District Women’s Hospital killed three newborns early Monday. Hospital staff evacuated dozens of other infants. Maharashtra’s chief minister has ordered a high-level inquiry.
Amravati, Maharashtra1 min read
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Three newborns died after a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the District Women’s Hospital in Amravati, Maharashtra, early on Monday.
The blaze started around 3.15 a.m. when a ventilator on the third floor sparked and ignited. Nine infants were in the affected section of the Special Newborn Care Unit. Staff on duty pulled six of them to safety. The three who died appear to have succumbed to smoke inhalation.
Thirty-six other newborns were evacuated from the facility. Six of the rescued infants were transferred to a super-speciality hospital for further care. One remains in critical condition with burns.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a high-level inquiry by the health administration. The state’s health minister and secretary were instructed to visit Amravati on Monday.
Parents and relatives who had been waiting outside the hospital described chaotic scenes. Some said fire alarms did not sound and that the sprinkler system failed to activate. Security guards and nurses were among the first to enter the smoke-filled ward and carry out soot-covered infants.
The hospital has three Special Newborn Care Units with a combined capacity of 39 beds. The fire was confined to one unit. District Surgeon Dr Vinod Pawar said staff acted quickly once the alert was raised.
The incident has drawn attention to fire-safety standards in government hospitals that care for premature and critically ill newborns. Oxygen cylinders present in the ward are believed to have intensified the flames after the initial spark.
Local police registered a case and began an investigation into the exact cause. Hospital administrators have not yet issued a detailed public statement on equipment maintenance or fire-safety drills.
The tragedy is one of the most serious recent failures in Maharashtra’s public neonatal care system and has prompted calls for an immediate audit of similar units across the state.
