Jhansi Hospital Fire Tragedy Eyewitness Recalls How Blaze Erupted: 'As Soon As The Matchstick Was Lit...'

Jhansi Hospital Fire Tragedy: An eyewitness has claimed that the fire erupted after a nurse lit a matchstick in the NICU ward. However, the real reason will be confirmed once the report is out.

Jhansi Hospital Fire Tragedy: At least 10 newborns died while 16 others are battling for their lives after a fire broke out on Friday night at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. It is believed that the blaze possibly broke out due to an electrical short circuit. However, media reports suggest that a nurse's negligence could be the reason behind the tragedy, which claimed the lives of the innocent children.

But the real reason will revealed once a detailed probe report is submitted to the Uttar Pardesh government by Saturday evening. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a three-tier probe into the matter and has directed the Divisional Commissioner of Jhansi and the Deputy Inspector General of Police to submit a report on the incident within 12 hours.

According to a report by India Today, Bhagwan Das, a resident of Hamirpur, claimed that he was in the ward at the time of the incident as his son was admitted there. He claimed that a nurse, who was also in the NICU ward, was attempting to connect the piple of an oxygen cyclinder using a matchstick. As she lit the matchstick, the ward, which had an oxygen-rich environment, burst into flames, setting ablaze everything instantly.

He recounted how the entire ward was up in flames as soon as the match was lit. Das also claimed to have saved the lives of around three-four newborns. He wrapped them with a cloth that he was carrying around his neck and carried them away from the burning ward. As per the report, he saved more children afterwards with the help of other people.

Principal of the medical college, Dr Narendra Singh Sengar, said the fire broke out in the ward due to a short circuit. 

Senior Superintendent of Police Sudha Singh said that efforts were underway to find out the exact number of children who were in the NICU at the time of the incident, news agency PTI reported. 

"The medical college has informed that 52 to 54 children were admitted at the time of the incident and 10 of them have died while 16 are undergoing treatment... verification for others is ongoing," Singh said.

Fire Extinguishers At Jhansi Hospital Not Expired?

Meanwhile, reports also said that the preliminary report pointed at security lapses at the hospital as the fire extinguishers were found to be expired. However, UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak dismissed these reports on Saturday stressing that "all the firefighting equipment in the medical college was completely fine". 

"The Yogi Adityanath government is standing with the children and their families. Our staff, doctors, and rescue team have worked bravely to save the children. All the firefighting equipment in the medical college was completely fine. A fire safety audit was conducted here in February and a mock drill was also conducted in June," Pathak, who also holds the health portfolio, said in the statement.

Principal of the Jhansi Medical College, Dr Narendra Singh Sengar, also termed the allegations that the hospital had expired fire extinguishers as "baseless".

"A total of 146 fire extinguisher systems are installed in the medical college. At the time of the accident, the fire extinguisher of the NICU ward was also used. All these equipment are also audited from time to time. During this, the deficiencies are removed," Sengar said.

He stated that a fire safety audit was undertaken at the medical college in February this year. Later, a mock drill was also conducted in June. Earlier today, Pathak had revealed the same when he dismissed media reports about faulty fire extinguishers.

"All these were audited in February while a mock drill was conducted in June. The claim of fire extinguishers being faulty in the medical college is completely baseless. The fire broke out in the ward due to a short circuit. The accident is being investigated," the medical college Principal added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths and announced an assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased. The UP government also announced Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to the parents of each deceased.