Two Infants Die, Two Critical After AC Explosion Triggers Fire In Telangana's RIMS Hospital

Adilabad: Two infants, including a five-day-old baby, died, while two others sustained critical burn injuries after a fire broke out at RIMS Hospital here in Telangana late on Monday night.

As per officials, the fire incident occurred at around 11:50 PM. At the time of the incident, at least 27 children were under treatment in the Special Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU) of the children's ward where an air conditioner (AC) exploded. Two infants died, while condition of two others is stated to be critical. The remaining 23 infants were immediately shifted to private hospitals for treatment.

"A five-day-old newborn died in a fire that broke out at RIMS Hospital in Adilabad last night. As many as 27 children admitted in the ward were safely rescued and evacuated in time. The incident occurred around 11:50 PM. Upon receiving information, one fire tender was rushed to the spot and the blaze was brought under control," a fire official said.

The sudden explosion of an AC unit in the SNCU triggered panic in the hospital as people raised alarm, crying for help.

Hospital Director Jai Singh, who was on rounds at the time, rushed to the SNCU with staff and ambulance drivers, only to find the unit filled with thick smoke.

Although immediate attempts were made to break the windowpanes and rescue the infants, a five-day-old baby from Ichoda (child of Salim) had already succumbed. Twenty-six infants, including three in critical condition, were shifted to private hospitals by ambulance; however, one of the three critically-ill infants passed away. The remaining 25 infants survived.

Thanks to the precautions taken by the fire personnel, the accident was contained within the children's ward, Singh said.

Upon learning of the incident, Collector Rajarshi Shah and SP Akhil Mahajan rushed to RIMS Hospital. They personally oversaw the rescue operations and consoled the families affected by the tragedy.

Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the incident. Confirming the deaths of two infants, officials stated that an inquiry would be conducted to determine the exact cause of the accident.

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