Six newborn babies die after fire tears through Delhi hospital

Six newborn babies have died after a fire tore through a children’s hospital in the Indian capital, Delhi, with people charging into the flames to rescue the infants, police have said.

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, called the fire and deaths “heart-rending” in a post on social media.

The fire department was called after flames tore through the hospital in Delhi late on Saturday evening. In the first minutes of the fire, bystanders spotted the flames and braved the blaze to rescue the newborns.

“All the 12 newborn babies were rescued from the hospital with the help of other people,” senior police officer Surendra Choudhary said in a statement. By the time they reached medical attention, six were dead.

The fire in the hospital broke out hours after a separate fire at an amusement park in India’s western state of Gujarat left 27 dead, including four children.

In that fire – which ripped through a centre with a bowling alley and other games crowded with youngsters – police warned that many of the bodies were so badly burned it was difficult to identify them.

Fires are common in India due to poor building practices, overcrowding and a lack of adherence to safety regulations.

Choudhary said legal action was being taken against the owner of the hospital but did not give further details on how the babies died.

In addition to the six reported to have died, another baby among the 12 brought out of the ward was dead before the fire began, Choudhary said.

The fire broke out in the New Born Baby Care hospital in Vivek Vihar.

The director of Delhi’s fire department, Atul Garg, told the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency that 14 fire trucks were sent to the hospital.

“The fire spread too fast due to a blast in an oxygen cylinder,” he said.

Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, called the situation “heartbreaking”.

“We all stand with those who lost their innocent children in this accident,” he said on social media. “The causes of the incident are being investigated, and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared.”

Modi also offered his condolences to those who lost their babies. “My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this incredibly difficult time,” he wrote on social media. “I pray that those injured recover at the earliest.”

The two fires came as northern India was gripped by intense heat, with temperatures in Delhi hitting 46.8 C (116.2 ) on Saturday, according to the India Meteorological Department.