A harrowing incident unfolded in the Dausa district of Rajasthan on Thursday after a newborn baby was badly burned inside a hospital ward moments after birth. The mishap occurred at Katta Hospital located in Bandikui town, where a short circuit triggered a sudden fire inside an infant warmer within the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU). The unexpected blaze created chaotic scenes across the specialized facility, forcing immediate evacuation and emergency referral of the critically injured baby.
Disaster Strikes Moments After Delivery
According to available details, a pregnant woman residing in the Khuntla area was admitted to Katta Hospital, where she delivered the infant at approximately 12:45 pm on Thursday. Following standard post-delivery protocols, medical staff placed the newborn inside an infant radiant warmer within the SNCU ward to stabilize body temperature and monitor health parameters. However, shortly after the child was placed inside the unit, a sudden electrical short circuit erupted within the apparatus, instantly igniting flames that enveloped the newborn before anyone could intervene.
The sudden burst of flames and smoke caused panic among the duty staff present in the neonatal unit. Healthcare workers acted quickly to pull the burning infant out of the apparatus and initiated immediate first-aid measures on site. Given the critical nature of the burn injuries sustained by the delicate newborn, doctors quickly concluded that specialized tertiary care was mandatory. An urgent referral was processed, and the infant was transported to JK Lon Hospital in Jaipur, where intensive medical treatment is currently ongoing.
Police Inspect Facility and Gather Evidence
Upon receiving news of the alarming incident, police teams from both Bandikui and Baswa police stations arrived at Katta Hospital to launch an inquiry. Investigating officers surveyed the SNCU ward and thoroughly inspected the operational setup. Police gathered technical specifics regarding the radiant warmer in question to establish how the electrical failure occurred. Statements were collected from the hospital administration and on-duty nursing staff regarding the timeline of events and the emergency response measures available inside the intensive care ward at the time of the fire.
Family Alleges Gross Medical Negligence
The traumatic event has left the child's family devastated and agitated over the hospital's handling of neonatal safety. Relatives leveled serious allegations of gross negligence against the hospital administration, stressing that medical warming equipment intended specifically to preserve frail newborn lives should never catch fire under standard operating conditions. The family questioned whether mandatory maintenance schedules, electrical audits, and routine equipment servicing had been routinely carried out by the facility management.
Family members pointed out that high-dependency wards like an SNCU require foolproof electrical setups and fail-safe safety mechanisms, given the vulnerability of the patients housed inside. They demanded a stringent official investigation into the incident, insisting that accountability must be fixed on anyone responsible for ignoring equipment upkeep. Following the fire, concerns have also been raised regarding the operating status and safety certifications of other electronic diagnostic and warming machinery installed across the facility.
Administrative Inquiry to Determine Legal Liability
Police authorities and administration officials are currently compiling records connected to the sequence of events. The investigation will focus on the age of the warmer, its servicing logs, electrical grounding parameters, and the exact response protocol followed by staff when the fire broke out. Authorities emphasized that definitive accountability can only be assigned once technical reviews are completed, which will clarify whether hospital administrators, maintenance contractors, or equipment failures are primarily culpable for the tragedy.
