Jhansi Medical College fire: Short circuit ignored despite warnings, faulty equipment kills 10 newborns

A devastating fire broke out at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Jhansi Medical College on the night of Friday, November 15, leading to the tragic deaths of 10 newborns. The fire originated from a short circuit that occurred at approximately 5 PM in the SNCU. According to reports, the attendants immediately informed the nursing staff and security personnel about the electrical issue, but no immediate action was taken to resolve the problem. Several hours later, at around 10 PM, a second short circuit triggered a fire in an oxygen concentrator, causing the blaze to spread rapidly throughout the unit.

At the time of the incident, there were 54 newborns in the SNCU. The fire caused the deaths of 10 newborns, with several others suffering from severe burns and injuries. Witnesses, including the family members of the patients, confirmed that they had raised concerns with the nursing staff and hospital personnel regarding the short circuit, but no action was taken to either fix the issue or evacuate the infants. The fire spread quickly, and the hospital’s fire safety measures were reportedly not functioning properly, as the fire extinguishers were outdated.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has intervened, calling the incident a severe violation of human rights. The NHRC has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide a detailed report of the incident within seven days. The report must include information about the actions taken by the hospital authorities and the steps taken against those responsible for the safety lapses. The NHRC has also called for details of the investigation into the causes of the fire, including the failure to address the short circuit issue despite prior warnings.

The Uttar Pradesh government has also launched an investigation into the incident. The Divisional Commissioner of Jhansi, Bimal Kumar Dubey, is leading the probe into the fire. He has questioned hospital staff about their response to the fire, the adequacy of the hospital’s fire safety equipment, and why corrective actions were not taken when the short circuit was first detected. He is also looking into the condition of the hospital's electrical systems and fire extinguishers at the time of the incident. Furthermore, a helpline number, 6389831357, has been established by the administration to provide information to the families of the affected newborns and to offer support during this difficult time.