The owner of the hospital fled, police said, adding that legal action is being taken against the individual.
At least seven children died in a fire at a children's hospital in India's capital, a fire service official said.
Rescuers transported 12 newborns from the hospital to another facility, but five of them died from smoke inhalation, fire officer Atul Garg said Sunday.
Five other people survived and are being treated for smoke inhalation, he added.
The fire broke out on Saturday night at Baby Care Hospital in New Delhi's Vivek Vihar area.
Television images showed firefighters trying to put out the fire on the first floor of the hospital. Suresh Kumar, another fire official, said the fire was extinguished in about an hour and its cause was being investigated.
“The 12 newborns were rescued from the hospital with the help of other people,” police officer Surendra Choudhary said in a statement, adding that when they reached the hospital, several of the babies were dead.
The owner of the children's hospital fled, police said, and Choudhary added that legal action is being taken against the individual, who has not yet been identified.
VIDEO | A baby center in Delhi's Vivek Vihar was completely engulfed in fire last night. The Delhi Fire Services said they received a call at 11.32 pm and nine fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Officials said 11 newborns were rescued from the building. pic.twitter.com/kBOZHcIcqp
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 26, 2024
The Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing Garg, that 14 fire engines were sent to fight the blaze. “The fire spread too quickly due to the explosion of an oxygen cylinder,” he said.
The bodies of the dead babies have been shifted to GTB Hospital in New Delhi for post-mortem examination, The Indian Express reported.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the incident “heartbreaking”.
“We all support those who lost their innocent children in this accident,” he said on X. “The causes of the incident are being investigated and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared.”
The incident came hours after more than two dozen people, including at least nine children, died in a large fire at a busy amusement park in Rajkot, in the western state of Gujarat. Two people were arrested in connection with the incident, local media said.
Fires are common in India, where builders and residents often flout building laws and safety codes.
