Fire in newborn unit of Assam hospital; all 14 babies moved to safety

All 14 newborns admitted at a civil hospital in Assam’s Goalpara district were moved to safety after a fire broke out on Friday morning, officials said

Updated on: Nov 19, 2021, 13:39:19 IST

By Utpal Parashar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

All 14 newborns admitted at a civil hospital in Assam’s Goalpara district were moved to safety after a fire broke out on Friday morning, officials said.

Authorities informed that the fire broke out at 9:30 am at the special newborn care unit of the Goalpara civil hospital following which nurses and other staff there evacuated the babies immediately.

“The fire started at one corner of the unit. It is not clear whether it was due to a short circuit or some waste material catching fire. The fire was immediately doused before it could spread,” said Dr Nil Madhab Das, joint director (health), Goalpara.

“As soon as the fire started, the nurses present at the spot broke open a window and shifted the newborns out. All the babies are safe and have been admitted to newborn care units of private hospitals in Goalpara town for the time being,” he added.

This is the second instance of fire at intensive care units for babies at government hospitals in Assam this month.

On November 10, one ventilator of an intensive care unit (ICU) of a pediatric ward in Assam Medical College Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh caught fire. The fire, which was caused due to short circuit, was immediately doused and all 10 newborns were moved to another part of the hospital.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More