6 babies killed, several rescued after fire erupts at Delhi children’s hospital
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At least six newborns died in a fire that broke out at a children’s hospital in New Delhi, India, late on May 25, news website NDTV reported officials as saying.
The Delhi Fire Services told NDTV that it was alerted to a fire at a baby care centre in the Vivek Vihar area in East Delhi at 11.32pm. As many as 16 fire engines rushed to the site.
Officials said 12 newborns were rescued from the first floor of the building, NDTV reported. They were taken to East Delhi Advance NICU hospital, according to The Times of India.
In a post on X, Indian news agency Asian News International quoted Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj as saying that six newborns had suffocated, and one was in critical condition.
He added: “We will take such strict action that none of the officials commit such negligence in future. We are with the families who have lost their babies.”
A video of the incident posted on X by Asian News International shows a fire engine parked in front of a building, and a siren can be heard wailing in the background.
Thick black smoke obscures part of the building, but flames can be seen raging through the lower floors as firefighters work to extinguish the blaze.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, NDTV reported.
Separately, a fire broke out at a residential building in Delhi’s Shahdara district on the night of May 25. An official told NDTV that five fire brigade vehicles were dispatched and 13 people were taken to hospital.
Earlier that day, 27 people, including nine children, died in a fire that broke out at a packed amusement park arcade
