Baby dies, 4 injured in fire in Hyd hospital;inquiry ordered

A fire broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a private children's hospital here early on Monday, killing a 3-month old baby boy and injuring four others, police said.

The Director of Public Health and Family Welfare directed the Additional Director (Leprosy) to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within 24 hours.

The incident happened at 2.55 a.m, LB Nagar Police Station Inspector V Ashok Reddy told PTI.

One baby died in the fire accident and four other babies were injured and shifted by police and parents to different hospitals and they were stated to be doing fine, the police official said.

 

As many as 42 children were undergoing treatment at the hospital at the time of the accident and the five babies were admitted in the NICU, the Inspector said.

Fire fighting personnel extinguished the blaze, suspected to be caused by a short circuit as per preliminary information, Reddy said.

Meanwhile, some people, including parents and relatives of the injured children, staged a protest in front of the hospital.

A case under IPC section 304A (causing death by negligence) has been registered in connection with the incident and a probe is on, police said.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) disaster management director Vishwajeet, citing preliminary information, said the hospital did not have an "active" fire no objection certificate (NOC).

A notice has been issued to the hospital to submit various documents, including copy of sanction plan and its proceedings, copy of building cccupancy certificate, copy of trade licence and copy of fire NOC within three days, Vishwajeet said.

Strict action would be taken, he said.

The official said the GHMC has already issued notices to vulnerable institutions, including pubs and bars and schools, on fire safety regulations.

The incident happened when the GHMC was preparing to take up hospitals in the third phase to verify fire safety and other matters, he said.

"In the next three days, we are going to initiate safety assessment of all the hospitals in GHMC limits," he added.

The government has given orders to take up complete fire and disaster safety assessment of the hospitals and the exercise would be undertaken accordingly, the official said.