A devastating fire at the neonatal unit of Maharani Lakshmibai Medical College in Uttar Pradesh, India, has claimed the lives of at least 10 newborn infants, state officials confirmed on Saturday.
The blaze broke out on Friday night around 10:30 pm local time (1700 GMT) in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, which was caring for 54 infants at the time.
Uttar Pradesh’s deputy chief minister, Brajesh Pathak, expressed his sorrow in a statement: “Ten infants have sadly died. Seven have been identified. Three bodies haven’t been identified as yet.”
Sixteen other infants are reported to be in critical condition following the incident, according to local media reports.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the tragedy as heart-wrenching in a message on social media platform X. “My deepest condolences to those who have lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss,” he wrote.
Fires in India are often attributed to overcrowding, substandard construction, and failure to enforce safety regulations. Investigations into the cause of this incident are ongoing.
