Three newborns died after a fire broke out in the neonatal care unit of Amravati District Women’s Hospital in Maharashtra in the early hours of Monday.
The fire reportedly started at around 3:30 am on the third floor of the hospital, where 39 newborns were undergoing treatment in the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU). Doctors, nurses and hospital staff immediately began evacuating the infants from the affected area.
Preliminary reports said the fire was triggered after an explosion in a ventilator. However, the exact cause of the explosion and the subsequent fire is yet to be officially established.
The blaze spread inside the neonatal unit, leaving three newborns dead. Reports said the infants suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation.
Doctors, nurses and other hospital staff rushed to the unit soon after the fire broke out and began moving the newborns to safety.
Medical equipment was disconnected as part of the emergency evacuation, while babies were taken out of the affected ward.
Six critically affected newborns were shifted to a Super Speciality Hospital for further treatment.
Authorities are investigating what caused the fire and whether the reported ventilator explosion triggered the blaze.
The incident has once again raised serious questions about fire safety and emergency preparedness in neonatal and critical care units, where patients are among the most vulnerable and cannot be evacuated without immediate medical support.