SIX NEWBORNS, aged between one day and 25 days, died early Sunday in a fire that broke out at a private neonatal care facility in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar. The fire is suspected to have been caused by short-circuit, according to the Delhi Fire Service.
Police said initial investigation revealed that Baby Care New Born Hospital, where the fire broke out around midnight, had been operating despite its registration with the Directorate General of Health Services expiring nearly two months ago. The hospital also did not have a qualified doctor on duty at the time of the incident neither did it have clearance from the fire department.
Additionally, the hospital was authorised to admit only five patients, but there were 12 newborns admitted there at the time of the fire. They were under the care of only two nurses and a doctor.
The owner of the facility, Dr Naveen Khichi (45), was arrested Sunday evening along with Dr Akash (26), who was on duty Saturday night.
Police booked Dr Khichi, an MD in paediatric medicine and resident of Pachim Vihar, under IPC sections 304a (causing death by negligence); 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder); 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder, with intent and knowledge); 336 (endangering human life); and 34 (common intention).
Initial investigations revealed that Dr Khichi was not present at the time of the incident. He used to leave the facility around 8 pm every day, police said.
According to police, Dr Akash had a Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree and was not qualified to deal with newborns requiring neonatal intensive care.
Commuters pass by a children’s hospital where a fire broke out on Saturday night in Vivek Vihar area. (Photo: PTI)
Although the initial death toll was reported to be seven — four male babies and three females — DCP (Shahdara) Surendra Chaudhary clarified later in the evening that one of the male babies had died at 8.30 pm Saturday, hours before the fire broke out. “His parents were intimated but they refused to take the newborn at that time and said they will come in the morning to take the body,” he said.
DCP Choudhary also said there was no emergency exit in the building and not a single fire extinguisher had been installed at the facilty.
In a statement, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said the hospital has been operating since 2015, while the building was constructed in 2001-02 as per sanctioned building plans. “It is imperative to submit that the ‘Other Activities’ (which includes nursing/hospital activities) are allowed… as per Mixed Use Regulations of Master Plan of Delhi, 2021,” the MCD said.
Policemen at the children’s hospital where a fire broke out on Saturday night in New Delhi’s Vivek Vihar area. (Photo: PTI)
In a report submitted to the Delhi Divisional Commissioner, Shahdara District Magistrate Rishita Gupta said a call regarding the fire was received at 11.58 pm Saturday. The fire was controlled at 1.19 am Sunday.
Of the 12 babies admitted, the report said, one died on the spot, while the rest were taken to the East Delhi Advance NICU-Child Specialist Hospital in Vivek Vihar. Six newborns were declared dead on arrival at the hospital while the remaining five are undergoing treatment, Gupta said in the preliminary report.
The Delhi Fire Service said a short circuit in the wiring at the hospital possibly led to the fire, which then spread to the oxygen cylinders kept near the reception and on the front porch of the building. The cylinders burst, with at least two flying out of the premises and landing near an Industrial Training Institute nearby and a car showroom opposite the hospital.
Delhi Fire Service chief Atul Garg said the rescue operation took nearly an hour and the newborns were brought out of the hospital from the window at the back of the building.
Tags for infants at the hospital site. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
A magisterial inquiry was ordered later in the evening.
Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, meanwhile, alleged that his calls and messaged to Health Secretary S B Deepak Kumar went unanswered. He then wrote to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, asking “speedy compensation” for the affected families and free treatment of the rescued children at the “best private hospitals”.
Expressing condolences to the affected families, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X said: “The fire tragedy at a hospital in Delhi is heart-rending. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this incredibly difficult time. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest.”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal posted on X: “This incident of fire in a children’s hospital is heartbreaking. We all stand with those who lost their innocent children in this accident. Government and administration officials are busy providing treatment to the injured at the spot. The causes of the incident are being investigated and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared.”
Inside the Baby Care New Born Hospital in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar on Sunday. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha) 
Commuters pass by a children’s hospital where a fire broke out on Saturday night in Vivek Vihar area. (Photo: PTI)
Policemen at the children’s hospital where a fire broke out on Saturday night in New Delhi’s Vivek Vihar area. (Photo: PTI)
Tags for infants at the hospital site. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
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