Five infants died in a fire at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Adilabad. An inquiry committee has concluded that rats chewing through air-conditioner wires caused a short circuit, leading to the blaze.
District collector Rajarshi Shah submitted the report of the six-member inquiry committee to the government. According to Hyderabad Mail, the report identifies rats as the cause of the fire.
The committee was constituted to investigate the fire that broke out around midnight on September 21. At the time of the incident, 27 infants were receiving treatment in the ward.
The 50-page report reportedly identifies rats as the cause of the fire, as stated by Hyderabad Mail. However, the detailed findings of the report have not been made public.
Five infants died due to smoke inhalation in the incident, while 27 others received treatment. This tragic event raises concerns about safety standards in hospitals across the state.
This incident in Adilabad underscores the critical need for improved infrastructure maintenance and safety protocols in hospitals across Telangana, especially for vulnerable populations like newborns.