Four children killed in fire at children’s hospital in India World | DW

At least four babies died this Monday (11/08/2021) in a fire at a plant where the newborn unit of a children’s hospital in India is located, sparking criticism for this type of accident.

Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang said on Twitter on Tuesday that the child care unit at the Government Kamala Nehru Children’s Hospital in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, was affected by a fire last night.

Although firefighters and rescue crews rushed to the hospital “immediately” after the alarm was raised, “four children could not be saved in the incident,” the other rescued children are being treated for, he revealed.

The families of the dead children will be compensated 400,000 rupees (approximately 4,600 euros).

“This is a very sad and regrettable accident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered,” the regional minister concluded, adding that he “expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims.”

Carelessness

In a statement to the press, Sarang said it was suspected that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit. The local channel NDTV reported that although the hospital had fire services, they were not functioning.

Despite calls for regret and action, fires, landslides and other similar accidents occur frequently in India, often due to poor infrastructure and poor maintenance, factors triggered by corruption and illegal practices.

According to the latest official data, there were 13,099 fires in government buildings, schools, apartments and other places in India in 2018, in which 12,748 people died and 777 were injured.

The latest in a series of incidents last Saturday in the western state of Maharashtra, at least 10 people were killed in a fire at a public hospital for patients infected with the corona virus.

Last January, another hospital fire in the same area killed 10 children, sparking outrage in the country.

mg (efe, AP)