A newborn rescued from a devastating fire at the children’s ward of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi succumbed to an illness on Sunday, marking the eleventh fatality linked to the incident.
Jhansi District Magistrate Avinash Kumar confirmed that the infant, shifted from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), died during treatment for a pre-existing condition unrelated to burn injuries.
“The boy did not sustain any burn injuries in the fire,” Kumar said.
On Friday night, a fire engulfed the NICU, claiming the lives of 10 infants. Hospital staff managed to rescue 38 children from the blaze. However, the newborn’s death on Sunday has brought the focus back on the condition of those under treatment.
Kumar noted that three children in the PICU were in critical condition as of Saturday. “Among these three newborns, one died on Sunday. However, he did
not die due to burn injury,” he added.
The district magistrate visited the hospital on Sunday, interacting with doctors, family members, and the children in the PICU. “The condition of the children is stated to be stable,” he assured reporters.
The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a formal investigation, appointing a four-member committee to probe the incident.
The panel has been tasked with identifying the cause of the fire and determining if negligence played a role. A report has been sought within seven days.
Kumar also clarified concerns regarding missing children.
“The bodies of the newborns who died in the fire have been handed over to their families. One child is with us, and a family is claiming the child. We are doing a verification. No child is missing,” he stated.
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