THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Jhansi, Nov 16: A fire broke out on Friday in the NICU ward of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, leading to the tragic death of 10 newborns. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have expressed profound grief over the incident.
Upon receiving information late Friday night, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath promptly dispatched Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and the Principal Secretary of Health to the site. The Chief Minister monitored the situation closely throughout the night, staying updated through on-site reports and television broadcasts.
CM Yogi has directed the administration to provide ₹5 lakh each to the families of the deceased newborns and ₹50,000 each to the critically injured as immediate assistance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed over the incident and has announced financial assistance of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) as compensation for the families of each deceased in the fire tragedy.
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PM @narendramodi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap in the fire accident at Jhansi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000. https://t.co/V8VVQqBb6M
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 16, 2024
Deputy CM visits Maharani Laxmibai Medical College
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak visited Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi, where he met the families of the deceased newborns and ordered a three-tier investigation into the incident.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his grief on social media platform X, describing the deaths in the NICU as extremely tragic and heart-wrenching. He directed the district administration and concerned officials to carry out relief and rescue operations on a war footing.
Speaking to reporters at the medical college, Deputy Chief Minister Pathak called the deaths of the newborns deeply unfortunate. He stated that efforts are underway, along with the families, to identify the bodies of the newborns.
Multi-level probe ordered
The Deputy Chief Minister stated that the investigation will be conducted at three levels: the first at the administrative level by the health department, the second by the police administration with the fire department also involved, and the third through a magisterial inquiry.
He mentioned that a fire safety audit was conducted in February, and a mock drill was carried out in June. The exact cause and reason for the incident will only be clear after the investigation report is submitted. Financial assistance will be provided to the families of the newborns.
Chief Medical Superintendent Sachin Mahour explained that 54 babies were admitted to the NICU ward when the fire broke out inside an oxygen concentrator. Efforts were made to extinguish the fire, but due to the high oxygen concentration in the room, the flames spread rapidly. While many children were rescued, 10 lost their lives. Treatment for the injured children is ongoing.
