Jhansi Hospital Fire That Claimed Lives Of 11 Newborns Accidental, Finds Panel: Report

The fire incident occurred at around 10.45 pm on Friday in the neonatal wards of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi.

Charred remains inside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are seen after a fire at the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, in Jhansi district, early Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo: PTI)

Jhansi Hospital Fire: Fresh details pertaining to the hospital fire in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi that claimed the lives of 11 newborns have surfaced. A two-member committee investigating the incident has discovered that the fire was entirely accidental and was not deliberate, according to an NDTV report. 

The incident occurred at around 10.45 pm on Friday in the neonatal wards of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi.

As per the findings of the panel, there is no criminal conspiracy or negligence in the incident, due to which no FIR has been registered till now, sources told NDTV. The committee, comprising two members, Jhansi Commissioner Vipul Dubey and DIG Range Kalanidhi Nathani, was expected to file its report within 24 hours.

According to NDTV sources, the panel found that the fire was caused by a short circuit in the switchboard and could not be brought under control as sprinklers were not installed in the pediatrics ward. The doctors told the committee that water sprinklers are not installed in the NICU ward due to the presence of newborns, the sources revealed.

At the time, six nurses and other staff and two doctors were present in the NICU ward. One of the nurses sustained burns on her legs when she was trying to douse the fire. The fire from the switchboard quickly began to spread towards the oxygen concentrator when a paramedical staff and two others went in with fire extinguishers.

But it was too late as the blaze went out of control, sources said, the findings of the committee revealed. Fire tenders reached the spot within minutes. The detailed report of the probe committee is expected soon. 

On Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a four-member committee to investigate the fire that broke out in the children's ward of Jhansi's Maharani Laxmibai Medical College. The committee has been tasked with identifying the cause of the fire and determining whether any negligence was involved.

The government has also requested a report within seven days. The committee will be chaired by the Director General of Medical Education and Training, with the other members being the Director (Health) of Medical Health Services, the Additional Director of Electricity of Medical Health Services, and an officer nominated by the Director General of Fire Services.