Fire breaks out at children’s hospital in Delhi, 7 newborns dead; owner and doctor on duty arrested

Delhi hospital fire: A devastating fire broke out at a children’s hospital in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar on May 26, resulting in the deaths of seven newborns, officials reported. The incident occurred at the New Born Baby Care Hospital in Shahdara on Saturday night.

The Delhi Police arrested Dr. Naveen Khichi, the hospital owner, after he absconded for nearly 12 hours. Alongside him, Dr. Akash, the doctor on duty during the incident, was also arrested. Both have been charged under sections 336, 304A, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

According to Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg, the fire began around 11:30 pm and affected both the hospital and an adjacent building. Twelve newborns were rescued, but tragically, seven succumbed — six were declared dead upon arrival at the hospital, and one passed away during treatment. The remaining five babies are receiving care at another medical facility. The bodies have been sent to GTB Hospital for postmortem examinations.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed deep sorrow over the incident, calling it “heartbreaking.” He assured that the government and administration are actively providing treatment to the injured and vowed that those responsible for the negligence would be held accountable. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj labelled the incident as “very unfortunate” and ordered a prompt investigation. He directed Health Secretary Deepak Kumar and Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to provide a detailed report on the negligence involved.

Despite communication challenges, instructions were issued via email, emphasising the need for free treatment for the rescued children in top private hospitals under the Farishtey scheme. Additionally, expedited compensation for the families of the deceased and injured was mandated.

DFS Director Atul Garg attributed the fire to a blast in an oxygen cylinder, which caused the blaze to spread rapidly. The quick response and rescue efforts, however, could not prevent the tragic loss of life.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu expressed their condolences. PM Modi described the fire as “heart-rending” and extended his thoughts to the bereaved families. President Murmu, in a post on X, conveyed her sorrow in Hindi, offering prayers for strength to the grieving parents and relatives and wishing for the speedy recovery of the injured children.