Three newborn babies died and six others were injured after a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the District Women's Hospital in Amravati, Maharashtra, India, on August 26, 2026. The fire, which occurred around 3:30 AM on the third floor, is believed to have started due to an electrical malfunction or a ventilator explosion. Thirty-six other infants were successfully rescued from the blaze. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident, promising strict action against those responsible and announcing compensation of $500,000 for the families of the deceased, with the state government covering medical expenses for the injured.
Opposition parties, including NCP (SP) and Congress, criticized the government, citing the incident as a "glaring example of negligence" and demanding immediate fire and safety audits of all government and private hospitals across Maharashtra. They raised concerns about the inadequate inspection and maintenance of fire safety systems, electrical equipment, and medical devices. The hospital's fire audit had reportedly lapsed days before the tragedy, and its electrical audit was overdue for renewal, despite repeated warnings to the hospital administration.
The fire department superintendent suggested that a short-circuit might be a more likely cause than a ventilator explosion, emphasizing the continuous operation of electrical equipment in ICUs and the need for regular inspections. The incident highlighted significant safety gaps in government hospitals; while 528 out of 530 public health institutions had undergone fire audits, only 442 had completed fire-safety system installations, and a mere 372 had obtained fire No-Objection Certificates (NOCs).
