Amravati: Three newborn babies died after a fire broke out at a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Amravati in the early hours of Monday, triggering a frantic rescue operation involving doctors, nurses and hospital staff.
The fire reportedly started around 3:30 am inside the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) on the third floor of the Amravati District Women’s Hospital. According to officials, a ventilator reportedly exploded, after which the fire spread through the ward.
At the time, 39 newborns were receiving treatment in the SNCU, which has separate sections for babies born at the hospital, those referred from elsewhere and infants receiving step-down care before discharge.
As smoke and flames engulfed the affected area, hospital staff immediately began evacuating the babies. Medical equipment connected to the newborns was disconnected as doctors and nurses worked to move them to safety.
Three infants suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation and later died. Six critically affected newborns were shifted to a nearby Super Speciality Hospital for further treatment.
Amravati Police Commissioner Rakesh Ola said senior police officers, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police, reached the hospital soon after the incident. Authorities have ordered a high-level inquiry to determine how the fire started and whether there were administrative or safety lapses.
The tragedy has sparked concerns over fire safety and the condition of medical equipment in hospitals. Maharashtra Revenue and Amravati district guardian minister Chandrashekar Bawankule expressed condolences to the families of the newborns and assured them of government support.
NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule called the incident deeply distressing and demanded a detailed investigation. She also called for fire and equipment safety audits across government and private hospitals in Maharashtra.
Former Maharashtra minister and Congress leader Yashomati Thakur also alleged that inadequate firefighting arrangements may have contributed to the situation. She questioned whether the hospital’s fire safety systems were properly equipped and maintained.
The incident has raised fresh questions about safety standards in critical newborn-care facilities, where even a small technical failure can have devastating consequences.
Authorities are now investigating the exact sequence of events, including the reported equipment failure, the hospital’s fire preparedness and whether required safety measures were in place.
The deaths have left the families devastated and prompted renewed calls for strict safety checks in hospitals, particularly in units treating vulnerable newborn children.
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