Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday, November 16, condoled the death of children in a fire that engulfed the children's ward of a medical college in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district.
Prime Minister said the local administration under the state government's supervision is making every possible effort for relief and rescue. "Heartbreaking! The fire accident at Jhansi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh is heart wrenching. My deepest condolences to those who have lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss. The local administration, under the supervision of the state government, is making every possible effort for relief and rescue," PM Modi said in a post on X.
At least 10 children died in a fire that engulfed the children's ward of the medical college in Jhansi district, officials said, as 16 others injured battled for life on Saturday. District Magistrate (DM) Avinash Kumar told reporters that the fire broke out around 10.45 pm on Friday in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College possibly due to an electrical short circuit.
President Droupadi Murmu said that the news is extremely heartbreaking and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured babies. "The news of the death of several newborn babies in the accident at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh is extremely heartbreaking. May God give strength to the bereaved parents and families to bear this cruel blow. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured babies," said President in a tweet.
The children who were in the outer part of the NICU were rescued along with some of those who were in the interior part. “Prima facie there is information of the death of 10 children,” the DM said. Those less critical are admitted in the outer section of the NICU while the more critical patients are kept in the interior part, Kumar said.