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NICU Fire: Baby Dies After Cradle Ignites
22 Aug
Summary
- A short circuit in a warmer sparked a deadly fire in the NICU.
- Three infants in a single cradle were burned; one succumbed to injuries.
- The hospital launched an inquiry into the cause and safety measures.
A fire erupted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a district hospital, resulting in the death of an infant and injuries to two others. The incident began with a short circuit in a warmer's plug socket, which caused a fire that spread to a cradle containing three newborns.
Hospital staff swiftly removed the infants from the burning cradle, but they sustained burn injuries due to pre-existing infections and the blaze. The three children were between one and 12 days old. Thirty other newborns in the NICU were accommodated in separate cradles and were safely moved.
The injured infants were urgently transported to Jabalpur Medical College for specialized care, as the district hospital lacked a pediatric surgeon. Sadly, one baby girl died during the ambulance journey. Hospital officials confirmed the fire was extinguished quickly, and all infants were relocated to different wards.
Authorities, including the police and hospital management, have initiated separate investigations to determine the exact cause of the fire and to review the existing safety arrangements within the NICU. The inquiry aims to prevent similar incidents in the future.
