A devastating fire at a children's hospital in New Delhi's Vivek Vihar area on Saturday night resulted in the deaths of seven newborns. The fire broke out at the “Baby Care New Born Hospital” around 11:30 p.m., leading to the rescue of twelve infants, but tragically, seven of them succumbed. The incident has exposed severe negligence and regulatory lapses at the hospital.
According to officials from Delhi Fire Services (DFS), the hospital did not possess a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department. The fire, reportedly caused by a short circuit, got worse in the presence of oxygen cylinders that exploded, spreading the fire to nearby buildings. The fire was brought under control by sixteen fire brigades.
Initial investigations revealed that the hospital's license had expired on March 31, 2024, yet it continued to operate illegally. Furthermore, the facility lacked basic fire safety measures, such as extinguishers and an emergency exit. The police have arrested the hospital owner, Dr. Naveen Kichi, and an on-duty doctor, Dr. Akash, for negligence and unauthorized operations.
Police officials noted that the hospital was only permitted to operate five beds, but twelve newborns were admitted at the time of the incident. Additionally, the doctors on duty held BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) degrees, which do not qualify them to provide neonatal intensive care.
Residents have claimed that the building contained an unauthorized oxygen refilling center. This illegal activity was reportedly known to local authorities, yet no action was taken. A local councilor, Mukesh Bansal, claimed to have been notified of this problem but received no response.
Dr. Munish Kumar Raizada, MD, FAAP, who is also the President of Bharatiya Liberal Party (BLP), tweeted about the incident, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation and accountability: "The fire at a baby care center in Delhi's Vivek Vihar is very shocking. Seven babies have been killed. The authorities must promptly investigate the violations of safety standards, if any, and bring closure to the families."
He also criticized the Delhi government's handling of such incidents, highlighting systemic corruption and negligence.
Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has called for a magisterial inquiry into the incident. He stated that strict action would be taken against those found responsible for the negligence. The Delhi government is also investigating the hospital's other branches in Punjabi Bagh, Faridabad, and Gurgaon.
Prominent figures have expressed their condolences, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. PM Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh to the relatives of each deceased child and ₹50,000 to those injured.
The police have registered a case under IPC sections 336 (act endangering the life and personal safety of others), 304A (causing death by negligence), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide). The investigation continues to determine the exact cause of the fire and the extent of regulatory violations at the hospital.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/ Susmita Bhandary/MSM)
