20240526 Delhi hospital fire: ‘License expired, no fire extinguishers…’, cops find 5 major lapses that led to blaze killing 7 newborns
India May 26 2024 “Hospitals”
Dead : dead 5 to 9 Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 1 to 9
Delhi hospital fire: ‘License expired, no fire extinguishers…’, cops find 5 major lapses that led to blaze killing 7 newborns
Updated: 2024-05-26
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Sunday said it has uncovered major lapses that led to the death of 7 newborns in a blaze that gutted a hospital in Vivek Vihar.
Among several oversights, the police discovered that the hospital did not have adequate fire safety measures in place, and was overcapacity which ultimately resulted in the tragedy.
The police have launched a thorough inquiry into the incident to determine the exact cause of the fire and to hold those responsible for the lapses accountable. The hospital management is also under scrutiny for negligence in ensuring the safety of its patients and staff.
The five major lapses discovered by Delhi Police:
The license issued to the Baby Care New Born Child Hospital expired on March 31.
- The license was allowed for 5 beds only, but at the time of the incident, 12 newborn children were admitted to the Hospital.
- The Doctors are not qualified to treat a newborn child in need of Neo-Natal Incentive care, as they are BAMS degree holders only.
- There were no fire extinguishers installed in the Hospital in case of eruption of fire.
- There is no emergency exit in the Hospital in case of any emergency
Earlier on Sunday, Delhi Police said that they had arrested the owner of children’s hospital, Naveen Kichi.
According to Delhi Fire Services officials, the blaze started at the Baby Care New Born Hospital in Vivek Vihar around 11.30pm on Saturday and quickly spread to two neighboring buildings. Although twelve newborns were successfully rescued from the facility, tragically, seven of them succumbed to the fire.
“Several people had gathered at the spot and were recording videos of the fire. Many of them even came close to those trying to douse the flames,” news agency PTI quoted a senior Delhi Fire Services official as saying.
The two-storey building housing the hospital was equipped with oxygen cylinders, which exploded due to the intense heat, causing damage to the adjacent structures.
Delhi govt orders magisterial inquiry
Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar in an order issued on Sunday, directed the district magistrate of the Shahdara district to inquire into the fire tragedy that happened on Saturday night.
“And whereas it is essential to cause a magisterial inquiry into the aforesaid incident. Now therefore, District Magistrate (Shahadra)/Chairman, District Disaster Management Authority is hereby directed to inquire into the said fire tragedy so as: To ascertain the circumstances that led to the fire tragedy.
“To fix the responsibility on the persons responsible for the said incident. To suggest the measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future,” it said.
Web Source The Times of India