Police officers examine the damaged neonatal intensive care unit after a fire broke out at the Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi district, in Uttar Pradesh, November 16, 2024.
Credit: Reuters Photo
The death of 10 newborn babies in a fire in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) of the state-run Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi in UP is too terrible for words. Children, especially babies, are highly vulnerable, and accidents involving them deeply affect personal and social sensitivities. Death by fire is horrible, and a case of newborn babies dying in a fire in a hospital raises many questions. There were 49 babies in the ICU which could accommodate only 18. Thirty-one babies were rescued and they are being treated in other sections of the hospital and elsewhere. Many of them are in a critical condition.
The hospital administration and other authorities, including the state government, have many questions to answer. Why was the hospital, and especially a neonatal ICU, so prone to fire? How did the accident take place? Was the fire safety system fully functional? The hospital claims that all fire extinguishers were operational, but there are reports that some did not work. The incident also raises wider questions about fire preparedness and safety measures not only in hospitals but also in all buildings everywhere in the country.
Death of babies in fire incidents is not new. Seven newborn babies were killed and five injured in a fire at a private neonatal hospital in Delhi in May this year. Ten babies died in a fire in a hospital near Nagpur in 2021. A fire that broke out at a gaming centre in Rajkot in May this year claimed at least 33 lives. There have been many other major fire accidents, such as the Uphar cinema tragedy in Delhi in 1997, the Carlton Towers fire in Bengal in 2010, and AMRI hospital fire in Kolkata in 2011, all of which resulted in the loss of many lives. No lessons were learnt from them, and the investigations conducted after the accidents and the recommendations made by the investigating committees have not helped prevent future accidents.
Rules regarding fire safety and general safety that should be followed while constructing houses, hospitals, commercial complexes, theatres, entertainment centres and other buildings are not followed. Civic officials are in league with contractors and building owners in the violation of rules, and they enjoy political patronage.
A recent survey in Maharashtra showed that 80% of the state’s hospitals did not have fire safety clearance. That is likely the case elsewhere too. The country’s fire fighting infrastructure, including the number of fire stations, is inadequate. Problems relating to fire preparedness are discussed every time there is a major fire accident. But no steps are taken to address them, and those who are responsible for the accidents often escape punishment.