Maharashtra: 3 Newborns Die in Fire at Amravati District Women’s Hospital NICU
Amravati, 24th August 2026: Three newborns died after a fire broke out at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Amravati District Women’s Hospital in Maharashtra early Monday morning. Six other infants were shifted to a super-speciality hospital for further treatment, according to preliminary information.
The fire reportedly broke out around 3:30 am on the third floor of the hospital, where the NICU is located. Initial information suggests that a blast involving equipment, possibly an air-conditioning unit or ventilator, may have triggered the fire. The exact cause is yet to be established.
At the time of the incident, 39 newborns were undergoing treatment in the NICU. As smoke began spreading through the unit, doctors, nurses and other hospital staff on duty immediately launched a rescue operation and evacuated several infants to safety.
Several medical devices and other equipment kept in the child care unit were reportedly damaged in the fire. Visuals from the site showed the NICU equipment covered in soot after the fire was brought under control, while parts of the air-conditioning system appeared damaged.
Police and other authorities reached the hospital following the incident. An investigation has been initiated to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess whether any safety lapses contributed to the tragedy.
Similar NICU fire reported in Madhya Pradesh
The Amravati incident comes two days after a fire broke out at the NICU of Chhindwara District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh.
The fire reportedly started around 2 am on Saturday after a spark from the filament of a baby warmer. Three newborns suffered burn injuries and were initially treated by hospital staff using firefighting equipment.
The infants were subsequently referred to Jabalpur for specialised treatment. One of them was reportedly in critical condition and required surgery. As a paediatric surgeon was not available in Chhindwara, the child was shifted to Jabalpur but later died during treatment. The infant had reportedly been born only a few hours before the fire.
Hospital authorities subsequently launched an investigation into the cause of the incident.
Four major hospital fire incidents reported this year
Muzaffarpur, Bihar: On June 4, a major fire broke out in the ICU of Prasad Hospital in Muzaffarpur. Initial reports put the death toll at four, while subsequent reports indicated that the number of deaths may have risen to five or six. Around 20 patients were evacuated from the ICU and shifted to other hospitals.
Cuttack, Odisha: On March 16, a fire broke out in the trauma ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital. Ten patients died and 11 staff members were injured. A short circuit was initially suspected to have caused the fire.
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh: In February, a fire reportedly broke out in a warmer machine at the NICU of a private nursing home, resulting in the death of a newborn girl. An investigation reportedly found that the NICU did not have valid permission and that the fire extinguishers had expired.
Nagpur, Maharashtra: In May, smoke and a fire-like situation were reported at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Daga Memorial Government Women’s Hospital following electrical sparking. Ten newborns were safely evacuated and six were shifted to another NICU. No deaths were reported in the incident.
