Delhi Hospital Fire: Eight Babies Burnt to Death, No Justice in Sight

Delhi hospital fire – these words bring to mind the devastating visuals from Baby Care New Born Hospital, where a massive fire erupted on May 25th. The blaze was ignited after oxygen cylinders burst, leading to a tragic incident fueled by gross negligence—not only by the hospital but also by the government.

Eight Newborns Perish in Tragic Fire

Eight newborn babies lost their lives in this heart-wrenching incident. Among those who died was Jyoti Rani’s newborn baby. Overwhelmed with grief, a tearful Jyoti shared her story with The Probe. "I gave up my career to start a family. In 2022, I lost my baby on December 2. My baby died in my womb," she recounted. Despite her earlier loss, she and her husband were encouraged to try for another child within a year.

Jyoti Rani’s Unimaginable Heartbreak

Jyoti Rani’s journey through grief continued with the loss of her second newborn, this time in a fire incident. "I had given birth to a baby boy. They kept the baby in the tray and showed me, and I was happy. Then they shifted the baby to the nursery of Baby Care New Born Hospital," she said. Initially reassured by hospital staff that her baby would recover, the family’s relief was short-lived.

Jyoti described the unsettling conditions at the hospital: "The nursery was very strange. The stairs were very narrow. My husband also had doubts about what kind of hospital this was. Such small babies were kept there, and too many babies were there, and the staircase was so narrow."

On the night of the fire, the family was informed their baby was fine. However, their joy turned to despair the next morning when they learned about the fire. 

The incident has raised key questions about accountability. Jyoti Rani believes the nursery’s owner is responsible for keeping so many oxygen cylinders in a risky environment. "Even when we make rotis in the house, we check the cylinder at least 10 times to see if our family is secure," she explained. "But he kept such small babies in a place where so many oxygen cylinders were kept and took such a huge risk."

Investigations Reveal Widespread Negligence

The Delhi hospital fire has exposed a troubling reality. It’s not just the hospital authorities who are at fault. Multiple government departments are also under scrutiny for granting this hospital its license and allowing it to continue operations despite glaring safety concerns. This tragic incident has left many questioning the safety protocols and accountability of those responsible.

Vinod Kumar, the grieving father, shared his harrowing experience. "We got to know about the fire in the morning. Around 9:30-10 a.m., we got a call from the hospital that there was a fire in the nursery. We were asked to go there and find out. We thought it was a normal fire. When we went there, we found that there was no building left," he recalled.

Vinod last saw his baby at GTB Hospital. "By then, my baby was beyond recognition and had passed away. Even if one agency had done their job properly—the government, MCD, or the fire brigade—this accident would not have happened. The MCD had given so many permissions for this building. The fire brigade had not checked. Whoever gave the licence did not do their job properly. The licence had expired in March. If anyone had investigated this, the mishap could have been averted," he said.

Chaos and Heroic Efforts During the Fire

On the day of the fire, chaos ensued as hospital staff fled the building, prioritising their own safety. Inside, helpless babies were left crying for help, their tiny voices unheard. It was Jitender Singh Shunty, along with his team and brave locals, who rushed in to rescue the babies from the inferno. Their heroic efforts saved twelve babies from the flames. Tragically, despite all their efforts, only four of the twelve babies survived.

Jitender Singh Shunty, Founder of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal, recounted the chaotic scene: "The blast happened and then people started calling me, saying, 'Shunty ji, there is a bomb blast.' The fire was in building number 54, and it was reaching up to 53 and 55. The fire brigade was doing its job, and the police were handling the administration. Our job was to rescue because we had the ambulance. We were unable to make our way through. The fire brigade also told us that we couldn’t go in. I asked them how many people were inside. Even they did not know. They said there were some babies inside. So, I too went inside, jumped into the place through a ladder. We were taking babies one by one, and then our team beneath was taking the babies to the hospital."

The situation was dire. "First, they went to Gupta Nursing Home, where we were told that they didn’t have any facilities. The second baby care hospital was in D-227. We took the babies there. They were admitted there immediately after opening the hospital. We took 12 babies to the hospital. They declared 6 babies dead immediately. The 7th baby was critical and was put on a ventilator, which means 5 babies were safe till then. Then the seventh baby also died, and again after 4 days, 1 baby died. 8 babies have died so far. 4 are healthy. 3 babies have gone to their homes, and one baby is still in the hospital," Shunty explained.

A Disaster Waiting to Happen

The Baby Care New Born Hospital was a disaster waiting to happen. It lacked basic fire safety equipment like extinguishers and had no proper entry or exit points. Shockingly, it didn’t even have an emergency exit or a valid licence to operate. Despite being authorised for only five beds, the hospital had admitted twelve newborn babies at the time of the incident. This blatant disregard for regulations and safety standards turned the hospital into a death trap.

Shunty, voiced his frustration: "How did the administration give a permit to a small 125 square yard place that did not have proper entry and exit points? How was the license given? After getting it registered, it wasn’t even renewed for a year. But no one questioned them. Whose mistake is it then? The government’s."

He continued, "The same person has four hospitals in Delhi, and there are more than 4,000 hospitals like this operating. There was neither a fire fighting system nor an emergency exit. There was no ventilation. You are operating a cylinder business out of a place where there are beds for five children, and what were the 30 big oxygen cylinders doing there? The total mistake is of the administration, every department, not just the health department. How did the MCD give its permit? How did the power department supply power? How did the water department supply water? It’s a combination of many factors. I would say this happened as a result of mistakes from the administration, and more such mishaps will take place. The police registered a case under Section 304. Why not 302? They have openly murdered the babies."

Silence and Lack of Accountability

The Delhi Police have filed a chargesheet against two doctors, including the owner of the hospital. However, when we reached out to the authorities about the government’s negligence, we were met with silence from all departments. Eight precious lives have been lost, yet there is no accountability.

This case has faded from media coverage, leaving the grieving parents to cope with their unimaginable loss in silence. Most parents we contacted were too devastated to speak. Their silence speaks volumes about the profound impact of this tragedy. While the world moves on, the anguish of these families lingers, a constant reminder of their deep loss.

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