Seven newborns killed in Delhi children’s hospital fire, owner arrested

DELHI, INDIA: In a tragic incident, seven newborns were killed when a fire tore through a children’s hospital in East Delhi late Saturday night (25 May).

The owner of the hospital has been arrested, the Delhi Police reported.

The fire broke out around 11:32 pm at the hospital in the Shahdara area of East Delhi.

Officials stated that the hospital had been operating despite its registration with the Directorate General of Health Services expiring nearly two months ago.

“Twelve newborn babies were rescued from the hospital with the help of other people,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Choudhary in a statement.

However, seven of the rescued infants were declared dead upon reaching medical attention.

The police disclosed that the hospital’s owner, Dr Naveen Kichi, who operates several other hospitals in the national capital, is currently being questioned.

Dr Naveen fled before the police could reach his home, and authorities believe he may be in Jaipur. A team has been formed to locate and arrest him.

The fire, which intensified rapidly due to the presence of numerous oxygen cylinders that began exploding, caused extensive damage.

The explosion can be heard in footage circulated on social media as the fire engulfs the building.

7 infants killed in fire at New Born Baby Care Hospital in Delhi's Vivek Vihar, owner Naveen kichi absconding!

12 newborns rescued from the medical facility. Gas cylinders were heard exploding in the fire. Cause of fire unknown. #Delhi govt suspects negligence, warns of strict… pic.twitter.com/khNMVtnNNN

— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) May 26, 2024

Atul Garg, Chief Fire Officer, recounted the harrowing events of the night to NDTV.

“We received the call at 11:32 pm and initially dispatched seven fire trucks, followed by an additional fourteen,” he said.

“There were 4-5 explosions that significantly worsened the fire, with oxygen cylinders being hurled as far as 50 meters away.”

Mr Garg added, “The building, which was ground plus three stories high, housed the children on the first floor and a storage area on the second. The fire spread to adjacent floors as well.”

Firefighters battled the inferno for three hours, facing significant challenges in locating and rescuing the infants.

“We did not know the exact number of children inside,” Mr Garg noted.

“The initial cause of the fire seems to have been an electrical pole igniting, which then set fire to a parked vehicle, eventually causing the oxygen cylinders to catch fire.”

Mr Garg also noted that while the building reportedly had a No Objection Certificate (NOC), the fire department had no records of it.

“We are verifying the NOC. If it’s found lacking, we will recommend the building’s closure. An investigation is underway to determine if proper firefighting measures were in place, but it’s difficult to assess right now as the building is completely gutted.”

Reacting to the tragedy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stated that those responsible for the accident would be held accountable.

“The causes of the incident are being investigated and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared,” Minister Kejriwal said on social media platform X.

बच्चों के अस्पताल में आग की ये घटना हृदयविदारक है। इस हादसे में जिन्होंने अपने मासूम बच्चों को खोया उनके साथ हम सब खड़े हैं। घटनास्थल पर सरकार और प्रशासन के अधिकारी घायलों को इलाज मुहैया करवाने में लगे हुए हैं। घटना के कारणों की जाँच की जा रही है और जो भी इस लापरवाही का… https://t.co/eJuj2y9b1w

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 26, 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences for the tragedy.

“The fire tragedy at a hospital in Delhi is heart-rending. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this incredibly difficult time. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest,” Modi expressed in a post on X.

The fire tragedy at a hospital in Delhi is heart-rending. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this incredibly difficult time. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 26, 2024

This incident comes just hours after more than two dozen people, including at least nine children, were killed in a large fire at a crowded amusement park in Rajkot, in the western state of Gujarat.

Two people have been arrested in connection with that incident, according to local media reports.