Jhansi hospital fire: Two more infants die, toll rises to 17

NEW DELHI: The death toll from the fire at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College hospital has risen to 17 after two more infants passed away on Saturday. The infants were among 39 rescued from the blaze that engulfed the neonatal intensive care unit on November 15th.

Dr. Narendra Singh Sengar, the medical college principal, confirmed the deaths, stating that the two infants succumbed to "illnesses."

"Of the 39 infants rescued, two more died on Saturday," Dr. Sengar said.

He added that post-mortems were conducted on Saturday, confirming "illness" as the cause of death in both cases. The families have since received the bodies.

The two infants, both weighing 800 grams at birth, were already facing health challenges. Dr. Sengar noted one of the infants also had a heart condition.

Ten infants died on the night of the fire. This latest tragedy brings the total number of infant deaths to 17.

This incident at one of Bundelkhand region's primary healthcare facilities in UP has raised significant questions about safety measures in medical institutions. Authorities continue to investigate the cause and responsibility for the incident.

Earlier, The UP government established a four-member investigative committee on Saturday last week to examine the hospital fire. Their responsibilities include determining the fire's cause and any potential negligence, with findings due within seven days.

(With agency inputs)

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