Jhansi Hospital Fire: Political Row Erupts Over Mishap That Claimed 10 Newborn Lives

A political blame game has erupted between the ruling BJP and the opposition following the tragic death of 10 newborns in a massive fire that engulfed the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a hospital in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.

The Samajwadi Party has accused the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College administration of negligence, alleging that a short circuit on Friday afternoon was ignored.

Photo Credit: PTI

In response, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a high-level investigation into the incident and demanded a report by Saturday evening. The Chief Minister has also announced compensation of ₹10 lakh for each bereaved family and ₹50,000 for those injured.

The fire, believed to have been caused by a short circuit, quickly spread through the oxygen-rich ward, which acted as a tinderbox. At the time of the incident, 47 newborns were admitted to the unit.

Latest Updates on the Jhansi Hospital Fire:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as "heart-wrenching" and stated that the local administration, under the state government's direction, was doing everything possible to provide relief.

• UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who oversees the health portfolio, confirmed that preliminary findings indicate the fire was triggered by a short circuit in the oxygen concentrator. He added, "Ten newborns have died. Seven have been identified, while three remain unidentified. DNA tests will be conducted if necessary."

• The Samajwadi Party criticised the state of government hospitals, calling them hubs of corruption and negligence. Party leader Akhilesh Yadav took a swipe at Chief Minister Adityanath, urging him to leave the Maharashtra election campaign and focus on improving the state's healthcare infrastructure.

• The fire, which broke out around 10:30 pm on Friday, led to panic and chaos within the hospital, with some individuals forced to climb out of windows to escape. It took over two hours to bring the blaze under control.

Footage from the hospital shows the ward where the newborns were treated completely charred, with equipment destroyed by the fire.