Newborn dies, 2 injured after baby warmer catches fire in Chhindwara hospital in MP
One newborn died and two others suffered burn injuries after a baby warmer caught fire inside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Chhindwara District Hospital in the early hours of Saturday. The incident occurred around 2 am, when sparks from the filament of the warmer’s heating unit reportedly triggered the fire while the three infants were inside the equipment.
Hospital staff immediately responded to the fire and used firefighting equipment to bring the flames under control. The three affected newborns were taken out of the warmer and provided primary medical treatment before being referred to Jabalpur for specialised care.
According to hospital officials, one of the injured infants was in critical condition and required surgery. As a paediatric surgeon was not available at the Chhindwara facility, the critically injured baby was shifted to Jabalpur Medical College. The infant later died during treatment. The other two newborns, who also sustained burn injuries, were referred to Jabalpur for further treatment.
Civil Surgeon Kanchan Dubey said the hospital staff acted promptly after noticing the fire. She said the injured babies were given immediate medical attention before being transported to Jabalpur under medical supervision.
The incident occurred in the hospital’s neonatal unit, where several newborns were undergoing treatment. Staff members immediately evacuated the infants from the affected area following the fire, preventing the situation from escalating further. The hospital administration has ordered an inquiry into the incident to determine the exact cause of the fire.
The warmer involved in the incident, along with other electrical equipment installed in the NICU, is expected to be examined as part of the investigation.
Hospital personnel subsequently inspected the equipment, while technicians were called to assess the warmer and other machines in the neonatal unit. The inquiry will examine whether a technical fault in the heating system or any other electrical issue contributed to the fire.
The incident has also raised concerns over the availability of specialised paediatric care at the district-level facility. The referral of the critically injured newborn to Jabalpur because a paediatric surgeon was unavailable at Chhindwara has highlighted the need for timely access to specialised neonatal and paediatric services.
The incident caused anxiety among the families of newborns admitted to the NICU, with hospital staff rushing to evacuate infants after the fire broke out.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Assembly Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar criticised the State government over the incident and called for an immediate fire safety audit of hospitals across the State.
He also urged the government to take steps to ensure the safety of patients.
The hospital administration is expected to submit findings after completing its inquiry into the fire, including an assessment of the warmer, electrical installations and safety arrangements in the NICU.
