Bhopal Hospital Fire: 8 More Infants Die, Tally Soars To 12

After four children were killed in a fire mishap at a Kamla Nehru Hospital in Bhopal on Monday night, the hospital's Pediatrics Department head Dr. Jyotsna Srivastava on Wednesday said that as many as eight more infants had died within 36 hours of the fire incident in the children's ward.

Speaking to ANI, Dr Jyotsna Srivastava, HOD, Pediatrics department in the hospital, said, "The incident happened on November 8 at around 8 pm. Before 12 midnight, four infants, some 1 to 12 days old, died due to respiratory issues, while within 36 hours, eight more succumbed. The children were mostly underweight and had respiratory issues because of which they were on ventilators. There were 40 children admitted in the ward."

Narrating the incident, Dr. Srivastava said, "At around 8 pm, a child was facing breathing difficulties and the doctor, who was treating him, shifted him to the ventilator. As soon as the doctor switched on the ventilator, it led to short-circuit resulting in a fire in the ward."

She further said, "All the doctors and nurses present in the hospital shifted the children out of the ward. No children died inside the ward but died after shifting to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) ward. Their (Children) condition was already very precarious as they were underweight and had respiratory issues."

As many as four children died after the children's ward of Bhopal's Kamla Nehru Hospital caught fire on Monday night.
Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang also announced an exgratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for the parents of each deceased child.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan condoled the death of the children in Bhopal and ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.