Three infants died after a fire erupted early Monday in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the District Women’s Hospital in Amravati, Maharashtra.
The blaze began at 3:30 AM on the hospital’s third floor, reportedly triggered by a suspected ventilator explosion. At the time, at least 39 newborns were in the NICU. Of the nine infants in the affected section of the NICU, six were rescued by hospital staff and transferred to a super specialty hospital.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on the social media platform X that the government has ordered an investigation into the fire.
He said that directives have been given to the health administration to carry out a high-level probe into the incident, adding that both the health minister and the department secretary have been asked to visit Amravati on Monday.
He further announced that the state government will grant financial aid of Rs 5 lakh to the families of those who died. He added that the Amravati District Collector has been directed to ensure that the injured children receive medical treatment at the government’s expense.
Fortunately, 36 children were safely rescued without any injuries in the incident, the chief minister said.
Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule voiced sorrow over the incident and directed that it be investigated. “I have ordered a probe into this matter. The injured are receiving treatment and will be provided with all necessary medical support,” he told the media.
The Opposition, meanwhile, demanded an audit of all government hospitals in Maharashtra to avoid such a tragedy in the future.
Congress CLP leader Vijay Wadettiwar posted on X, “If there is negligence in hospital fire safety measures, routine equipment inspections, and the upkeep of oxygen and electrical systems, then who is responsible? There is no need for a performative inquiry after innocent lives are lost; establish accountability and take stringent action against those at fault.”
NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule also called for a comprehensive investigation and audits of all hospitals in the state. “A detailed probe into the entire incident must be carried out, and the harshest possible action should be taken against those found responsible. In addition, fire safety audits of all government and private hospitals in Maharashtra, as well as safety checks of medical equipment, are necessary,” she posted on X.
The NICU is divided into three areas: one for outborn infants referred from other hospitals, another for inborn infants delivered at this hospital, and a step-down area for newborns who are nearly ready for discharge.
The incident occurred in the outborn births section, where two nurses were on duty caring for nine newborns. According to the nurses, a ventilator exploded, filling the entire ward with smoke. They were able to save six of the infants, who were subsequently moved to a super specialty hospital, while the remaining three died.
“We immediately tried to rescue everyone as soon as the fire started. The ward quickly filled with smoke, and we could no longer see the babies, but even then, we tried to carry out the cradles. It was a very difficult situation,” one of the nurses told the media.
The nurses reported that after the ventilator exploded, the blaze grew more intense due to the oxygen cylinders in the room.
Dr. Vinod Pawar of the District Women’s Hospital told the media that he rushed to the facility immediately after receiving a call from a staff member reporting a fire in the outborn section.
“By the time I arrived, the nurses had already evacuated six babies, while three remained inside. We attempted to enter the ward, but the blaze was so intense that we could not get in. We broke a window to allow the smoke and flames to escape and used a fire hose in an effort to put it out, but the fire could not be brought under control,” he said.
The Congress leader and former Guardian Minister of Amravati raised concerns about the quality of the ventilator used at the District Women’s Hospital. She questioned whether the incident was caused by a defect in the ventilator, a short circuit, and why the ventilator exploded at all.
This indicates it was of poor quality and that someone received a commission from it, and she said the government is entirely to blame for this when speaking to the media.