In a devastating incident early Monday, a fire caused by a ventilator explosion in the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the District Women’s Hospital in Amravati, Maharashtra, resulted in the deaths of three infants. Emergency responders managed to rescue 36 others from the blaze. In response to this tragedy, the Maharashtra state government has initiated a high-level investigation and mandated rigorous fire safety audits across all healthcare facilities in the state.
He also directed the Amravati district collector to ensure that all injured and rescued infants receive medical treatment at state expense.
Maharashtra chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the incident “extremely tragic and heart-wrenching”, announcing ₹ 5 lakh in ex gratia for the family of each deceased infant. The blaze erupted after a ventilator in the nine-bed out-born section suddenly exploded, according to Amravati Civil Surgeon Dr Vinod Pawar and police commissioner Rakesh Ola. Fire brigade officials, however, said an electrical short circuit might have caused the fire.
Then there was an uproar, and the fire brigade came. I kept looking for my baby and wife, but couldn’t find him.” “Around 3.30 am, I was standing at the hospital gate with a friend when I heard a woman shouting…
Swapnil Barge said he received the news of the death of his son hours after he informed his family about the birth.
State health minister Prakash Abitkar visited the hospital and announced a seven-member expert committee headed by Public health commissioner Sanjay Katkar. The panel will submit its report within eight days. He added that Schiller Company (Nagpur), which supplied the ventilator, would be blacklisted, if equipment malfunction was established. A high-level meeting will also review fire safety compliance across state government hospitals.
The fire broke out around 3.30am on the third floor of the newly constructed hospital building, which houses three SNCUs with a combined capacity of 39 infants, according to officials.
