Tragedy struck a hospital in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar region as a fire late on Saturday evening claimed the lives of at least six newborn babies, with another infant having passed away before the blaze erupted, according to police reports.
The hospital’s unit where the fire broke out had a total of 12 babies, as mentioned by senior police officer Surendra Choudhary.
Authorities expressed intent to pursue legal action against the hospital’s owner, who had fled the scene. Dramatic images circulating on social media captured multiple bursts of flames engulfing the building.
Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed deep sorrow, calling the incident “heartbreaking” and vowing to investigate the causes thoroughly to hold negligent parties accountable.
Atul Garg, director of Delhi’s fire department, disclosed that 14 fire trucks were dispatched to combat the blaze, noting that its rapid spread was fueled by an oxygen cylinder blast.
The rescue operation faced challenges due to limited access to the building, which lacked adequate fire safety features like fire escapes and had only a single staircase.
The exact cause of the fire and whether the hospital complied with safety regulations remained unclear. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed sorrow over the tragedy, terming it “heart-rending.”
In a separate incident earlier that day in Rajkot, Gujarat, a “massive fire” erupted at a games arcade, claiming the lives of at least 27 people, many of whom were children.
Investigations are underway to determine if sparks from a welding machine triggered the blaze.
Such incidents underscore the persistent challenge of fire safety in Indian cities, where building regulations are often disregarded, residential and commercial zones are not clearly segregated, and enforcement of safety protocols can be inadequate.
Source-BBC
