Jhansi Hospital Fire: UP Govt Denies Expired Extinguisher Claims, Forms 4-member Team to Probe Case

Lucknow/Jhansi (UP): Uttar Presh government on Saturday formed a four-member committee to probe into fire at children's ward of a medical college in Jhansi that snuffed out lives of 10 newborns as officials suspect electrical short circuit to be cause of tragic incident. Chief Minister Yogi ityanath has alrey directed Divisional Commissioner of Jhansi, fire department and deputy inspector general of police to submit a report on incident within 12 hours. Amid claims that medical college h expired fire extinguishers, Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak asserted all firefighting equipment in college was completely fine and a fire safety audit was carried out in February and a mock drill in June. Principal of medical college, Dr Narendra Singh Sengar, also termed allegations "baseless".

Jhansi Hospital Fire: Here Are Latest Developments

• four-member committee, to be heed by Director General of Medical Education and Training, has been tasked with identifying cause of fire and determining wher any negligence was involved and asked to submit its report within seven days.
• "Sixteen children are undergoing treatment in or wards of medical college. children, who were three to four days old, have been kept on a warmer," Deputy CM Pathak said. 
• blaze at neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where infants mitted were mostly prematurely born, has been doused but air around is heavy with sorrow. 
• Parents, mostly young mors, and ir families who gared outside children's ward clung to one anor, drawing strength in ir darkest hour.
• Yakub Mansuri was sleeping on pavement outside children's ward Friday night when fire broke out. He broke in through a window and managed to rescue some newborns but not his two daughters.
• Santoshi, who gave birth just 11 days ago, sat on ground sobbing with her face covered by her palms, not rey to accept loss of her child.
• Post-mortem of seven infants was carried out on Saturday while autopsy of three could not be done as ir parents have not been identified yet, ditional Superintendent of Police (City) of Jhansi Gyanendra Kumar Singh told PTI.
• According to District Magistrate Avinash Kumar, fire broke out around 10.45 pm on Friday in NICU wards of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, one of largest government hospitals in state's Bundelkhand region, possibly due to an electrical short circuit.

Ex-Gratia Announced

President Droupi Murmu termed incident "extremely heartbreaking" while Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an assistance of Rs 2 lakh for family of each deceased. Uttar Presh government has also announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to parents of newborns who died and Rs 50,000 to kin of each of injured.

Govt Swings Into Action

A statement from Uttar Presh government said that on ityanath's directions to expedite rescue work, senior officials took charge of situation Friday night itself.

Most of children were evacuated to safety within 15 to 20 minutes through rescue operation, it said, ding that most of infants were shifted to PICU ward.

Expressing his condolences to families of deceased children, ityanath directed officials to provide all possible help to victims.

At an election rally at Phulpur in Prayagraj, he said fire was caused by a short circuit. "To ensure that or children were rescued, we were up all night coordinating (with officials) for relief and rescue efforts," he said while explaining why he was delayed in arriving at rally.

"My heart goes out to those who lost ir children," he said.

state government also said that as soon as information about incident was received, ityanath sent his deputy Pathak and principal health secretary to spot.

"Instructions have been issued to launch a three-tier probe into incident. Jhansi Divisional Commissioner and DIG have been told to probe matter and fire department will also look into it. Along with this, instructions have also been given for a magisterial inquiry into incident," Pathak said on X.

In anor post in Hindi on X, Pathak said he has spoken to family of children injured in blaze and assured m of all possible help.

Interacting with reporters, he said, "We will detect cause of incident and whose negligence led to it. priority is giving quality treatment to injured." Talking about rescue operation, principal of medical college said, " children who did not suffer any burn injury or suffocation are being taken care of at district hospital. rescued children have been mitted to or wards of medical college, district hospital and private nursing homes." Earlier on Saturday, Senior Superintendent of Police Sudha Singh told reporters that 16 injured children were being treated and efforts were underway to save ir lives.

re was also information that some parents took ir children home after fire erupted in ward, she said, ding police are trying to verify tally of infants who were in NICU and ir current status. " medical college has informed that 52 to 54 children were mitted at time of incident. While 10 of m died, 16 are undergoing treatment. Verification for ors is ongoing," Singh ded. 

No End to Blame Game

incident sparked a political blame game in state where bypolls to nine assembly seats are to be held on November 20. Opposition parties blamed BJP government in state and said deaths raise many serious questions on ministration.

Congress targeted ityanath dispensation with Rahul Gandhi saying such tragic incidents happening one after anor in Uttar Presh speak of negligence of government and ministration.

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded an investigation into accident and strict legal action against whoever was found guilty of negligence.

Samajwi Party chief Akhilesh Yav said ityanath should leave poll campaign and focus on improving state's health and medical facilities. He also demanded that Rs 1 crore should be paid to all bereaved families, ding, "Gorakhpur should not be repeated".

(With agency inputs)