Uttar Pradesh: Jhansi Hospital fire claims lives of 10 newborns; PM Modi, CM Yogi extend condolences

In a devastating incident late Friday night, a fire broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College, Jhansi, resulting in the tragic deaths of 10 newborns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, calling the incident "heartbreaking" and assuring that the local administration, under the Uttar Pradesh government's supervision, was taking all possible steps for relief and rescue efforts.

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Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak, who visited the hospital on Saturday morning, revealed that the ward was overcrowded, housing 49 children despite its 18-bed capacity. While the identities of seven victims have been confirmed, efforts are underway to identify the remaining three.

The Chief Minister's Office announced an ex gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for families of injured infants. CM Yogi Adityanath has directed the Divisional Commissioner and DIG of Jhansi to submit a detailed report within 12 hours.

The fire is believed to have been caused by a short circuit in an oxygen concentrator, which rapidly spread due to the highly oxygenated environment. Authorities have initiated multi-level investigations to ascertain the exact cause and fix responsibility.

The Samajwadi Party has alleged negligence, claiming the hospital ignored a short circuit reported earlier on Friday. The tragedy has sparked widespread outrage, highlighting critical gaps in safety protocols at healthcare facilities.