Fire at children’s hospital kills seven newborns in India’s capital

The owner of the hospital in Delhi has fled, police said, adding that legal action is being taken against the individual.

At least seven infants have been killed in a fire at a children’s hospital in India’s capital, says a fire service officer.

Rescuers carried 12 newborns from the hospital to another facility, but five of them died due to smoke inhalation, fire officer Atul Garg said on Sunday.

Five others survived and are being treated for smoke inhalation, he added.

The fire broke out late on Saturday night in the Baby Care Hospital in New Delhi’s Vivek Vihar area.

Television footage showed firefighters attempting to douse the fire on the first floor of the hospital. Suresh Kumar, another fire officer, said the fire was extinguished in about an hour and its cause was being investigated.

“All the 12 newborn babies were rescued from the hospital with the help of other people,” said police officer Surendra Choudhary in a statement, adding that when they reached the hospital, several of the infants were dead.

The owner of the children’s hospital has fled, police said, with Choudhary adding that legal action is being taken against the individual, who is yet to be identified.

VIDEO | A Baby Centre in Delhi's Vivek Vihar was completely engulfed in fire last night. The Delhi Fire Services said it received a call at 11.32 pm and nine fire tenders were rushed to the site. The officials said that 11 newborns were rescued from the building. pic.twitter.com/kBOZHcIcqp

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 26, 2024

The Press Trust of India news agency reported quoting Garg that 14 fire trucks were put to battle the blaze. “The fire spread too fast due to a blast in an oxygen cylinder,” he said.

The bodies of the dead infants