2 infants killed as fire breaks out in newborn care unit in Telangana hospital

Hyderabad: In a tragic incident, three newborns, only days old, died after an air conditioner exploded late Monday night in the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) at the government-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Adilabad, Telangana.

Around 27 infants were undergoing treatment in incubators in the unit at the time. The explosion sent thick black smoke billowing through the ward, leaving the infants struggling to breathe. Staff and medical officers rushed in, broke open windows and glass panes, and switched off the power supply before carrying the babies out to safety.

A preliminary assessment attributed the explosion to a short circuit. A five-day-old baby, daughter of Saleem from Ichoda, died on the spot. Another infant died shortly after. A 20-day-old baby in critical condition was shifted to Nizamabad Government Hospital, where the child later succumbed during treatment.