New Delhi: In Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, a children's ward of government-run Kamala Nehru on Monday caught fire. Three children lost their lives in the incident, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan confirmed.
The blaze started in a ward on the third floor of the hospital which houses the ICU, an official said, as per PTI.
The fire broke out at around 9 pm and 8 to 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames, PTI reported Fatehgarh Fire Station in-charge Juber Khan as saying.
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Confirming the fatalities, CM Shivraj Chouhan took to Twitter and wrote: "The fire incident in the children's ward of the hospital is very saddening. The rescue operation was swift, the fire was brought under control. But unfortunately, three children who were already seriously ill could not be saved".
"The untimely departure of these children gives unbearable pain. I pray to God for the peace of the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the families of these children. I hope that those who were injured in the incident have a speedy recovery," he added.
A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The probe will be conducted by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) health and medical education Mohammad Suleiman, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister informed.
Talking about the situation earlier, Bhopal SP Vijay Khatri said: "While the cause behind the fire is unclear, the fire has been brought under control. All the children in the (affected) ward have been shifted to other wards. They are being treated".
Parents waiting outside the Kamla Nehru Hospital had complained that they were not being given any information about their children.
Meanwhile, PTI reported Fatehgarh Fire Station in-charge Juber Khan as saying that a short-circuit may have caused the blaze.
(With Inputs From Agencies)