20 babies rescued after fire breaks out at hospital

PTI

New Delhi, June 9

In all, 20 newborns were rescued and shifted to nearby medical facilities after a fire broke out at a hospital in west Delhi’s Vaishali Colony in the early hours of Friday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) M Harsha Vardhan said the fire broke out at Nest Newborn and Child Hospital.

No casualties were reported in the incident, he said.

The information about the blaze was received at 1.35 am, following which nine fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire was doused by 2.25 am, according to the Fire Department.

Delhi Fire Services Director Atul Garg said, “The fire started in the basement of the building, where some furniture and papers were stored. The building, which is spread over approximately 180 square yards, comprises the basement and ground plus three floors.”

“The hospital was located on the first floor. Twenty newborns admitted there were safely rescued by our team,” he said.

Of these, 13 babies were shifted to Arya Hospital in Janakpuri, two to New Born and Child Hospital at Dwarka More, another two to J K Hospital in Janakpuri and three were discharged, he added. The hospital did not have a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Fire Department, Garg said.