In a devastating incident, the owner of a Delhi, India hospital and a doctor practicing at the same hospital have been arrested after a fire claimed the lives of seven newborns. Dr. Naveen Khichi, the owner of New Born Baby Care Hospital in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar neighborhood, was apprehended after being on the run since the fire broke out late Saturday night, May 25, 2024. Dr. Akash, the on-duty doctor at the time, was also taken into custody.

The fire erupted around 11:30 p.m. and led to a scene of chaos. Out of the 12 babies admitted to the hospital, one died on the spot, another during treatment, and five were declared dead upon arrival at another hospital. Five babies are still undergoing treatment.

Authorities have comprehensively investigated the incident, revealing several alarming oversights. The hospital’s license, which was only for five beds, had expired in March, and it was operating without adequate fire safety measures such as fire extinguishers and fire exits. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Choudhary noted, “During the investigations, we got to know that the doctors are not qualified to treat the newborn children in need of neonatal intensive care, as they are BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) degree holders only.”

The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial probe to uncover the exact cause and accountability for the fire. Preliminary investigations suggest a short circuit might have been the cause, but multiple lapses in safety protocols were evident. Oxygen cylinders on site, which were said by locals to be part of an illegal oxygen refilling operation, exploded during the fire. Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj emphasized the urgency of fire audits across all hospitals in Delhi, stating, “On April 24, we issued directions for fire preparedness. We will ask all private and Delhi government-run hospitals to complete a fire audit by June 8 and submit a compliance report.”

The incident has left the community in shock. The fathers of two of the deceased babies shared their grief, recounting how they learned of the fire through the news and friends. One father expressed, “I rushed to the hospital hoping for the best but faced the worst nightmare instead.”

Dr. Khichi, an MD in pediatrics, and his wife, a dentist, run multiple clinics across Delhi. This isn’t the first time the hospital has come under scrutiny. In 2021, Khichi was booked for alleged mistreatment of a newborn, and the hospital was found to be unregistered under the Delhi Nursing Home Act.

The local community has shown tremendous bravery during the crisis. Two nurses and several locals risked their lives to rescue as many babies as they could. Minister Bharadwaj mentioned, “We will recommend their names for bravery awards.”

As the investigation continues, the focus remains on preventing such incidents in the future. The Delhi government is working to expedite compensation for the families affected while ensuring stricter enforcement of safety regulations in hospitals across the city.