Ten children were killed in a fire that broke out at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi Friday evening. The fire, possibly due to a short circuit, broke out in the children’s ward of the Jhansi Medical College which led to a stampede-like situation in the hospital. Doctors and medical staff were seen evacuating patients by breaking the windows of the ward filled with smoke.
“As per the staff present in the ward, the fire broke out around 10.35 pm. The fire broke out in one of the two units of the children’s ward possibly due to a short circuit. We have formed a committee to probe the cause of the fire. While most of the children were rescued, as per initial information, 10 children were killed in the accident,” said Avinash Kumar, district magistrate of Jhansi.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took note of the tragic accident and expressed his condolence to the families of the victims. He also directed officials and doctors to reach the spot immediately for relief work.
Heartbreaking visuals showed relatives wailing for the children who died in the accident. “My baby has burnt to death,” said a devastated woman who lost her child.