'Unfortunately, we could not save all...': Delhi Fire Department director on hospital blaze that killed 7 newborns

"It was a very tough operation. We made two teams. One team started firefighting because there was a blast of cylinders, we can say the chain of blast of cylinders. So we had to save ourselves also. We started rescue operations for babies as well. Unfortunately, we could not save all the children," rues Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Department, while elaborating on the rescue operation following a massive fire at a children's hospital in Delhi that killed 7 infants. 

There were a total of 12 newborns in the children's hospital in Delhi's Vivek Vihar area when the fire broke out on May 25 night. The fire killed one of the newborns in the hospital, six died after the fire incident, while the remaining five others were admitted to another hospital for treatment, police said.

"We removed all the 12 babies to the hospital. But after arrival, they declared that 6 were dead. That is a regrettable incident..." Garg added.

Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Naveen Kichi, the owner of the New Born Baby Care Hospital, under sections 336 (endangering life of personal safety of others), 304A (death by negligence) and 34 (criminal activity) of the IPC. He is currently absconding.

In a statement, DCP Shahdara said, "In the hospital, there were 12 newborns admitted. They were all rescued and shifted to the East Delhi Advance NICU Hospital, Vivek Vihar for treatment. Out of these babies, six were declared brought dead and one died earlier. The seven bodies have been further shifted to GTB Hospital for postmortem."

Sumit, a relative of a newborn baby admitted at the New Born Baby Care Hospital, told ANI, "My brother's child was admitted here on May 20. We went to the police station and asked them for information, they asked us to go to the hospital for information...We were not allowed to stay here...Strict action should be taken in this matter..."

Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg said a cylinder blast was the likely cause of the fire.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the hospital fire "heartbreaking", adding that the "causes of the incident are being investigated and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared".

Commenting on the tragedy, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said "strictest punishment will be ensured for those found negligent or involved in any wrong doing".

In the wake of the fire tragedy at a hospital in Delhi, the Prime Minister has announced that an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 would be given to each of those injured.

(With agency inputs)