Hyderabad: A three-month-old baby died and at least five other infants were injured when a fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a private children’s hospital on the outskirts of Hyderabad early on Monday, police said.
The incident happened at around 2.30am, when the fire broke out with a loud noise in the ICU of Shine Children’s Hospital in the LB Nagar area, according to the police.
“Six infants who received burn injuries were immediately shifted to two different hospitals nearby. Of them, one child succumbed to burns,” L B Nagar police inspector V Ashok Reddy said. As the fire engulfed the ICU quickly, the hospital staff broke open the doors and windows to rescue the infants, who were undergoing treatment for various ailments.
“Six infants who received burn injuries were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital out of which one child succumbed to burns,” an official of the LB Nagar Police said, asking not to be named.
Parents of the deceased baby, Ramesh and Manasa, from Dupada village of Suryapet district, were not at the hospital when the fire mishap occurred. The boy was admitted to the hospital three days ago on complaints of high temperature. The police immediately called the fire tenders which rushed to the spot and put out the blaze.
{{/usCountry}}Parents of the deceased baby, Ramesh and Manasa, from Dupada village of Suryapet district, were not at the hospital when the fire mishap occurred. The boy was admitted to the hospital three days ago on complaints of high temperature. The police immediately called the fire tenders which rushed to the spot and put out the blaze.
{{/usCountry}}Preliminary inquiry revealed that the fire erupted due to a short circuit, the police said, adding that further investigation is on.
No one from the hospital management was available for comments, as the police said the managing director went absconding. “There were around 25-30 children in the hospital. Within a couple of hours of the accident, the hospital staff shifted all of them to various other hospitals, before locking up the premises,” the police said.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation served a notice on the hospital management asking it to produce all the relevant documents including building occupancy certificate, fire safety clearance, building plan, trade licence and property tax certificate within three days. Child Rights Association president P Achyuta Rao demanded that the government pay ex gratia of ₹50 lakh to the family of the child who died of burns and ensure best treatment to the injured children at the government expenses.