Delhi children hospital fire: Five oxygen cylinders exploded, says FIR

Five oxygen cylinders exploded when a fire broke out at a neonatal hospital in the Vivek Vihar area here, according to the FIR registered by Delhi Police in connection with the incident in which seven newborns were killed.

The FIR, a copy of which is with PTI, states that a total of 27 oxygen cylinders found inside and outside the two-storey building of Baby Care New Born Child Hospital, where the fire broke out on Saturday night.

The police received a call regarding the hospital fire at 11.29 pm.

"With the help of fire brigades and ambulances of CATS and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Seva Dal (an NGO), 12 newborns were rescued from the back of the building and were taken to another hospital. Of these, four males and three females were declared brought dead. Two other males and three females were hospitalised," the FIR said.

After the fire was doused, crime and forensic teams inspected the spot and collected burnt exhibits from a van, burnt debris and burnt pieces of wire. Due to the heat, the teams could not collect exhibits from inside the building, it said.

During an inspection of the scene, 27 oxygen cylinders were found inside and outside the building. Of these, five were found to have burst, it added.
 

An ambulance, a scooty and an air conditioning unit installed on the ground floor of an adjacent building were also found burnt. Some portion of Industrial Bank located in the neighbouring building was also damaged.

Five newborns were injured in the fire. The hospital was allegedly operating illegally with an "expired" licence and had no clearance from the fire department.

Hospital owner Dr Naveen Khichi and Dr Akash, who was on duty at the time of the incident, were arrested on Sunday.

The FIR said Khichi and the hospital staff did not ensure proper safety and security of the newborns.

Kichi and Akash have been booked under sections 336 (act endangering life and personal safety of others), 304A (causing death by negligence), 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code, according to the FIR.

On Monday, the two accused were produced before a court which sent them to three-day police custody.