Adilabad, Sept 22: A horrific tragedy occurred late Monday night in the Adilabad district of Telangana. Three newborns died of suffocation following a severe fire accident in the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) government hospital.
The incident took place around 11:30 PM on Monday. It is reported that an air conditioner (AC) in the ward exploded due to a short circuit, immediately filling the entire ward with thick smoke and flames. There were reportedly 28 newborns in the ward at the time of the incident.
Panic gripped the hospital as soon as the fire broke out. Parents and hospital staff acted swiftly and courageously to save the infants.
Breaking the ward’s windowpanes to gain entry, parents and staff managed to safely rescue the babies from their incubators. Several staff members, including two nurses, sustained burn injuries during the rescue operation.
Tragically, three infants lost their lives after inhaling the thick smoke. While one five-day-old infant died at the scene, another passed away on Monday night after treatment proved ineffective. A third infant, who was critically ill, breathed their last early Tuesday morning.
The remaining 25 infants were immediately shifted to adjacent wards and private hospitals for further treatment; it is reported that they are out of danger.
Meanwhile, District Collector Rajarshi Shah visited the hospital to assess the situation. He confirmed that the 25 infants had been transferred to private hospitals for care.
Fire personnel rushed to the scene and took measures to prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the hospital, successfully containing it within the children’s ward.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed his condolences regarding the incident. Describing the death of the children as deeply tragic, he conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families.
He instructed officials to ensure the children undergoing treatment receive the best possible medical care and directed them to continuously monitor their health status.
The Chief Minister ordered an investigation into the cause of the fire and directed that a report be submitted. He also instructed officials to further strengthen safety measures in all hospitals across the state to prevent such incidents from recurring. Meanwhile, BRS Adilabad District President and former Minister Jogu Ramanna also visited the hospital and alleged negligence on the part of the hospital administration.
Questioning why the air conditioning unit was kept running despite concerns regarding its maintenance, he demanded compensation for the families of the deceased children.