Three newborns killed in fire at Maharashtra government hospital

A fire broke out in the newborn care unit of a government hospital in Amravati on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of three infants, according to hospital officials. The blaze originated from a ventilator in the compartment designated for newborn patients and spread rapidly through the ward.

Emergency response teams reached the scene promptly and managed to rescue six additional babies from the affected unit. All rescued infants were shifted to safety, though officials did not provide details on their current condition or whether any sustained injuries during the evacuation.

Chandrakant Bawankule, the guardian minister for Amravati, said he has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fire. The investigation is expected to examine the ventilator's maintenance history, safety protocols at the facility, and whether adequate fire safety measures were in place in the neonatal ward.

The incident has raised concerns about safety standards in healthcare infrastructure across the state. Hospital authorities have not yet released a detailed statement regarding the cause of the ventilator malfunction or steps being taken to prevent similar incidents in future.