Jalandhar: A fire that broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Jalandhar Civil Hospital early Tuesday morning triggered panic among patients and hospital staff. Thanks to the swift response of hospital personnel and firefighters, all four newborns admitted to the unit were rescued safely and no casualties were reported.
The incident occurred at around 5 a.m., when smoke was first noticed inside the NICU. According to initial information, the blaze is suspected to have originated from an air conditioner after a possible electrical fault. However, officials are yet to confirm the exact cause of the fire.
Eyewitnesses said thick smoke quickly spread across the ward, creating chaos as mothers, attendants and medical staff rushed to move the infants to safety. Hospital security and healthcare workers immediately evacuated the babies and shifted them, along with other patients, to secure areas within the hospital.
After receiving the emergency call, teams from the fire department reached the hospital and launched firefighting operations. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze before it spread further and later cleared the smoke from the affected ward.
Officials at the scene said the flames damaged one air-conditioning unit before extending to another AC and the room’s electrical wiring. Several electrical fittings, beds, mattresses and other equipment inside the NICU were destroyed in the fire, while the walls of the room were left blackened due to heavy smoke.
Hospital authorities confirmed that all newborns and their mothers are safe and that no injuries or loss of life occurred. The affected ward has been secured, and an assessment of the damage is underway.
Authorities are expected to conduct a detailed investigation to determine the exact reason behind the incident and assess whether any safety lapses contributed to the fire.
