Seven newborn babies were killed in a massive fire that broke out at a children’s hospital in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar area on Saturday night, The Indian Express reported.
Delhi Fire Services Director Atul Garg said that they had received a call about the fire at 11.32 pm, The New Indian Express reported.
“A fire call was received from a baby care centre at Block B of Vivek Vihar,” he said. “A total of nine fire tenders were rushed to the spot.”
Garg said that 12 infants were brought out of the medical facility and taken to another hospital. Six of them were brought dead, while one died during treatment, The Hindu quoted the official as saying.
The bodies have been shifted to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for postmortem examinations.
The Delhi Police registered a case under sections of the Indian Penal Code related to endangering the life or personal safety of others and causing death by negligence against Naveen Kichi, the owner of the medical facility.
Kichi was arrested later in the day, along with a doctor named Akash, who was on duty on Saturday night.
Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has set up an investigation into the incident.
Bharadwaj also alleged that he had attempted to contact Health Secretary Deepak Kumar multiple times in view of the fire. “But he [Kumar] has not responded yet,” the Aam Aadmi Party leader said.
“As I am not able to communicate with Secretary (Health), who heads the Department of Health, I am sending this note with a copy to Chief Secretary [Naresh Kumar] so that quick enquiry can be launched in this matter,” Bharadwaj added in a social media post with an attached letter.
The health minister directed the two officials to ensure speedy compensation to those injured and to the families of the dead, and to expedite the arrests of those who were running the centre.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has also set up an inquiry into the incident.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the cause of the mishap is being investigated, adding that “whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared”.
The fire at the children’s hospital occurred on the same day as another fire that broke out at a gaming zone in Gujarat’s Rajkot, where 33 persons, including nine children, were killed.
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