Chhindwara Hospital NICU Fire: Newborn Baby Dies En Route To Jabalpur After 3 Infants Suffer Burns

A newborn baby died while being shifted to Jabalpur after a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Chhindwara District Hospital early Saturday, leaving three infants with burn injuries. The blaze, suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit, broke out between 2 am and 3 am on August 22, hospital officials said.

The three babies, aged between six and 12 days, were reportedly in the same bassinet when the fire started. Hospital staff used fire extinguishers to bring the flames under control before removing the infants and providing them with first aid.

All three injured babies were referred to Jabalpur Medical College at around 5 am as the district hospital did not have a paediatric surgeon. One of the infants, reportedly a baby girl, died while being taken to Jabalpur.

Fire Broke Out In Bassinet Inside NICU

According to Dr Kanchan Dubey, who spoke to local media, the fire was caused by a short circuit in a plug inside the NICU.

She said the flames first caught the bassinet in which the three newborns were lying before spreading to plastic material and clothing inside it.

More than 20 newborns and three staff members were present in the NICU when the incident occurred. The fire was reportedly confined to one section of the unit, which sustained damage.

An eyewitness, Anand, said hospital staff immediately used a fire extinguisher after noticing the flames. The babies were then taken out of the affected area and given initial treatment.

Baby Girl Dies While Being Shifted To Jabalpur

The infant who died was reportedly born only hours before the fire. Her father, Aditya Verma, a resident of Kishanpur Chand, said his wife had been admitted to the hospital three days earlier for delivery and gave birth to a baby girl at around 10.30 pm on Friday.

The baby was subsequently admitted to the NICU.

The three infants had reportedly been admitted to the NICU after developing infections following delivery.

Dr Dubey said doctors were yet to determine the extent of burns suffered by the surviving babies and indicated that they could require surgery.

Police Begin Probe Into NICU Fire

Senior hospital officials reached the spot after being alerted about the fire, while police also began an investigation into the incident.

Hospital authorities are examining the cause of the fire and the safety arrangements in the NICU. The exact circumstances surrounding the short circuit and whether there were any lapses in electrical or fire safety measures are expected to form part of the inquiry.

Families Seek Financial Support For Treatment

The families of the injured newborns have urged the administration to bear the cost of their treatment in Jabalpur.

They said their financial circumstances made it difficult for them to meet the expenses associated with specialised treatment outside Chhindwara.