JHANSI, Nov 16: A devastating fire at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi on Friday night claimed the lives of ten infants and left 16 others injured. The fire broke out at approximately 10:45 pm, while 47 infants were being cared for in the NICU. Many infants were successfully rescued from the blaze.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. Alok Singh, ADG Zone Kanpur, who arrived in Jhansi to oversee the rescue operations, confirmed this. Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who also visited the site, expressed his deep regret over the tragic incident. He assured the public that the government is working closely with the families to identify the victims and stated that three levels of investigation will take place: one by the health department, another by the police and district administration, and a third magisterial inquiry.
Pathak emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in the investigation and reassured the public and bereaved families that the government is committed to supporting them during this difficult period.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took immediate action, instructing the district administration to accelerate relief and rescue operations. The Chief Minister expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased infants and ordered a report on the incident from the Jhansi Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Inspector General of Police within 12 hours.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, offering his heartfelt condolences, announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the families of the deceased infants. He also promised ₹50,000 for the injured infants. In a social media post, the Prime Minister assured that the local administration, under Uttar Pradesh government supervision, is doing everything possible to support the ongoing relief and rescue efforts.
