New Delhi: Ten newborn babies, aged between one and three months, died after a fire broke out in the special newborn care unit of the Bhandara district hospital at around 1.30 am on Saturday, January 9.At least three of the 10 infants died of burn injuries while seven others died of suffocation caused by smoke. Seven out of the 17 babies in the affected unit were rescued.State health minister Rajesh Tope has said in a video message that an investigation has been ordered and the guilty will not be spared.Tope said Rs 5 lakh would be paid to the family members of each of the deceased infants according to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s decision.A nurse first noticed smoke coming out from the neonatal section of the hospital and alerted doctors and other staff who reached there, according to reports. Fire brigade personnel rescued seven babies from the ‘inbound ward’ of the unit.“The medical staff on duty opened the windows and doors of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit wards and shifted the infants to adjoining wards. However, they could not save the 10 infants,” Tope said in the video.District civil surgeon Pramod Khandate said the ward where newborn babies were kept required a continuous supply of oxygen. “There were fire extinguishers and staff used them while trying to douse the fire. There was too much smoke,” he added.Indian Express has reported that the fire affected the ‘outborn section’ of the hospital which is for children born elsewhere but referred to the government hospital for some kind of special treatment.Patients from the ICU ward, dialysis wing and labour ward (a room in a hospital set aside for childbirth) were also shifted to other wards in the aftermath of the fire, he added.The cause of the fire in the four-storey building is yet to be ascertained but could have been the result of an electrical short circuit, he said.ReactionsPrime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident, as did Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Maharashtra’s BJP head Devendra Fadnavis.Heart-wrenching tragedy in Bhandara, Maharashtra, where we have lost precious young lives. My thoughts are with all the bereaved families. I hope the injured recover as early as possible.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 9, 2021The unfortunate incident of fire at Bhandara District General Hospital in Maharashtra is extremely tragic.My condolences to the families of the children who lost their lives.I appeal to Maha Govt to provide every possible assistance to the families of the injured & deceased.— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 9, 2021Fire incident at the Bhandara District Hospital,where about 10 children lost lives is very painful & disturbing.My deep condolences to the families who suffered such irreparable loss.This incident should be properly investigated & strict action be taken against the culprits.— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) January 9, 2021(With PTI inputs)