Two infants die after fire at RIMS newborn care unit in Telangana

• Two babies die after a fire breaks out at the SNCU of RIMS in Telangana’s Adilabad district

• The remaining 25 infants are shifted to private hospitals, with two in critical condition

• A preliminary probe suggests an AC malfunction may have caused the fire, while CM Revanth Reddy orders an inquiry and better medical care

Two infants died and two others were critically injured after a fire broke out at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Telangana’s Adilabad district, officials said on Tuesday.

The fire broke out in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, apparently after an air-conditioner malfunctioned, officials said.

Of the 27 infants undergoing treatment in the unit, one pre-term baby died initially, while another infant died later at a private hospital after being shifted from RIMS, officials said.

The remaining 25 babies were evacuated and shifted to different private hospitals for further treatment. Two of them are in critical condition, while the health of the other infants is being closely monitored, officials said.

A senior police official said a preliminary investigation suggested that the air-conditioner may have exploded due to a malfunction. The exact cause of the fire and other details will be established after a detailed inquiry, officials said.

Telangana chief minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed grief over the deaths and directed officials to ensure advanced medical treatment for the infants undergoing care at private hospitals.

He also instructed officials to conduct an inquiry and submit a report on the incident. The chief minister directed authorities to take necessary measures to prevent such incidents at government hospitals in the future.

With PTI inputs