Modasa, Gujarat — In a tragic incident early Tuesday, a newborn baby, his father, a doctor, and a nurse were charred to death after an ambulance carrying them caught fire near Modasa town in Arvalli district. The fire broke out around 1 am on the Modasa-Dhansura road while the one-day-old infant was being shifted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad for advanced treatment.
According to police inspector D.B. Vala, the victims included the infant, his father Jignesh Mochi (38), doctor Shantilal Rentia (30) from Ahmedabad, and nurse Bhuriben Manat (23), a resident of Arvalli. Three others — the ambulance driver and two of Mochi’s relatives — sustained burn injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital.
Vala said the newborn had been under treatment at a Modasa-based private hospital before doctors advised shifting him to Ahmedabad. As per CCTV footage examined by police, the ambulance slowed near a petrol pump after the driver noticed flames at the rear of the vehicle.
“The driver and the two relatives seated in front managed to escape with injuries. However, the infant, his father, the doctor and the nurse, who were at the back, were trapped and could not be saved,” Vala said. Local fire brigade teams rushed to the spot but found the vehicle already engulfed in flames.
The injured have been identified as driver Ankit Thakor and relatives Gaurang Mochi and Gitaben Mochi.
District Superintendent of Police Manoharsinh Jadeja said forensic teams have been called to determine what sparked the blaze and to assist in the ongoing investigation.
