Three newborns die in hospital fire in India's Maharashtra state

At least three newborn babies died in a fire that erupted early Monday at the District Women's Hospital in Amravati, located in the central Indian state of Maharashtra. The incident has prompted an investigation and calls for strict action against those responsible.

According to preliminary information, the fire began around 3:30 AM, reportedly after an explosion in a respirator within the neonatal intensive care unit. Hospital staff managed to evacuate six other newborns from the affected unit. These infants have been transferred to a different health facility and are reported to be in stable condition.

"We will find out what happened after the investigation. We have filed a complaint," stated the district's chief public health doctor, Vinod Pawar, to a local agency. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, announced compensation of 500,000 rupees (approximately $5,200 USD) for the families of the deceased.

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We will find out what happened after the investigation. We have filed a complaint.

Fadnavis added, "Orders have been given to the health administration to conduct a high-level investigation into this incident. The strictest possible measures will be taken against those responsible."

This tragic event follows a similar incident on Saturday in the state of Madhya Pradesh, also in central India. A fire in a neonatal intensive care unit of a hospital there resulted in the death of one newborn and injured two others. Authorities attributed that fire to a spark from a heater's filament.

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Orders have been given to the health administration to conduct a high-level investigation into this incident. The strictest possible measures will be taken against those responsible.