'No Safety Devices, Negligence By Owner': Delhi Police File Chargesheet In Infants' Hospital Fire Case

The Delhi police filed a chargesheet in the children's hospital fire case in Vivek Vihar where seven newborns were killed in May this year.

Seven newborns were killed after a fire broke out in a children's hospital in Delhi's Vivek Vihar in May this year.

Source : PTI

The Delhi police has filed its chargesheet in the Vivek Vihar hospital fire case and noted that the hospital did not have fire safety equipment and the staff did not respond to the blaze promptly when it broke out. Seven newborns were killed and four other infants were rescued after a massive fire broke out at the Baby Care Newborn Hospital on the night of May 25. 

The 796-page chargesheet was filed before a Metropolitan Magistrate at Karkardooma court on July 22 with 81 witnesses, however, its cognisance is yet to be taken, reported the Indian Express. 

While the cause of the fire has not been concluded by the police in the chargesheet, reports of forensic experts, Delhi Fire Services, Electrical Inspector and an MCD team have been placed on record, as per the Indian Express report. 

The hospital was running the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for 12 beds while the permission was for only five beds, the report quoted an official who was aware of the contents of the chargesheet. 

No document was available on the application file to show that fire safety devices were installed in the hospital, the official told the publication.

Doctors with BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) degrees were deployed to take care of the infants in the NICU as against a Registered Medical Practitioner having a valid DMC (Delhi Medical Council) certificate, mentioning a postgraduate degree in ICU and NICU.

The hospital had no qualified nurses and according to rules, nurses should have a minimum qualification of GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery) along with an experience certificate of working in a 10-bed ICU for one year, the report added. 

Naveen Khichi, the owner of the hospital had a case lodged against him in 2019 for alleged violation in another baby care centre, which was sub-judice in court, the chargesheet stated. 

At the time of issuance of the license, the accused declared that he would have only 20 cylinders (Five of Category B, and 15 of Category D) on the premises. However, at the time of the incident, there were 31 cylinders in the building which were stored in a hazardous manner. 

The owner of the hospital has been booked under section 75 of JJ (Juvenile Justice) Act which pertains to punishment for cruelty to children, as per the report. 

“The nursing staff on duty stated that the owner of the nursing home allowed the other male staff members to cook on the rooftop. Despite the issue being pointed out to Dr Khichi, it was ignored,” another officer, aware of the contents of the chargesheet told the publication.