New Delhi: The death toll in East Delhi Baby Care hospital fire rose to seven as another critically injured child, who was put on a ventilator, died on Sunday morning. Earlier, six newborn babies were killed, and 11 others were safely evacuated after fire broke out at the hospital located in Vivek Vihar area of Delhi on Saturday night.
The owner of the Baby Care New Born Hospital Dr Naveen Khichi was arrested by Delhi Police hours after the incident. A case was registered against him under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code after the incident.
Earlier, the police and fire brigade team rushed to the spot as rescue operation was started with the help of local people. The condition of other six children, who were admitted to East Delhi Advanced NICU Centre, is stated to be serious. The remaining six children are undergoing treatment.
The fire brigade has finally brought the fire under control as the hospital was completely gutted in the fire. Along with this, the building adjacent to the hospital also caught fire, which was doused after the fire brigade team arrived at the spot and got into the act.
The reason for the fire is still not clear. The fire brigade team says that the cause of the fire will be known only after investigation. However, eyewitnesses say that the fire started with a loud sound of blast. Some believe that the fire broke out due to a cylinder blast.
Officials said that 11 newborns were rescued from the building. According to DFS chief Atul Garg, the rescue operation is still on. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. "A fire call from Baby Care Centre, near ITI, Block B of Vivek Vihar area was received. A total of nine fire tenders were dispatched," Garg said.
A Fire Brigade officer said that information about the fire was received at Baby Care Hospital located in Vivek Vihar at 11:32 pm on Saturday night. After about an hour of firefighting effort, the situation was brought under control, he said.
As soon as information about the fire was received, local MLA and Delhi Assembly Speaker Ramniwas Goyal also reached the spot. Bhagat Singh Seva Dal president Jitendra Singh Shanti, a local, also said that the fire broke out after a loud blast. According to sources, the accident occurred when oxygen refilling work was being done in ambulances outside the hospital. The cylinder exploded during oxygen refilling. Three cylinders exploded one after the other. Due to which, fire broke out first at the hospital and then in the adjacent building, they added.
CM Kejriwal promises action
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the east Delhi children hospital fire which left newborns dead is heart-rending and warned that those responsible for negligence will not be spared. Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj also said the strictest punishment will be given to those found negligent or involved in any wrongdoing.
In a post on X, Kejriwal said the government stood with those who lost their children in the fire incident in Vivek Vihar, and added the administration was ensuring proper treatment to the injured. He said the reasons behind the fire were being probed and those found negligent will not be spared.
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