Two newborn babies died after a fire broke out at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of RIMS Adilabad, a government hospital in Telangana, in a tragic incident that has left families and hospital authorities shaken.
The fire reportedly broke out in the newborn care ward of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), where critically ill infants were receiving treatment.
Fire breaks out in newborn care unit
The incident occurred while several newborns were undergoing treatment in the specialised unit. Hospital staff and emergency personnel responded after the fire was noticed and efforts were made to move the infants to safety.
Two babies, however, could not be saved.
The incident has raised concerns over fire safety arrangements in a ward where vulnerable newborns require continuous medical care and specialised equipment.
Probe ordered into tragic deaths
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances that led to the fire, including the possible cause and whether safety systems and emergency procedures functioned as required.
The deaths have caused grief among the affected families, who were already facing the difficult circumstances of having their newborns admitted to intensive medical care.
Officials are examining the incident as investigations continue. Further details about the cause of the fire and the safety measures in place at the SNCU are awaited.
The tragedy has also brought renewed attention to the importance of robust fire-prevention and emergency-response systems in hospitals, particularly in newborn and intensive-care wards where patients may be unable to move without assistance.