Three newborns die as ACs explode at SNCU in Adilabad

Three newborns died and two others were hospitalised after AC machines exploded at the special newborn care unit of RIMS-Adilabad late Monday night. Nineteen infants were rescued after toxic smoke and gases spread through the unit, officials said.

Adilabad: In what could be termed the first major tragedy in a government-run hospital in recent history, three newborns died, while two others were hospitalised and 19 infants were rescued after inhaling toxic gases emanated from air-conditioning machine explosions, believed to have been caused by an electric short-circuit at a special newborn care unit in Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS)-Adilabad late on Monday night.

District Medical and Health Officer Dr P Sadhana confirmed that the five-day-old baby of Sabha Khan from Ichoda, 15-day-old baby of Sheku Bai from Indervelli and 20-day-old baby of Sabha Samreen of Utnoor died after inhaling toxic fumes released due to AC machine explosions that allegedly occurred due to overuse and poor maintenance by 12 am.

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While Sabha’s baby died on the spot at 12.30 am, Sheku’s baby breathed her last during treatment at 4.30 am and another baby succumbed when she was being taken to a hospital in Nizamabad after her condition deteriorated at 6.15 am. All of them were preterm baby girls and weighed less than 1.5 kgs. The medical condition of the two more infants was said to be critical.

Thick smoke and toxic gases spread throughout the SNCU soon after the explosion of the ACs, leading to fatalities and injuries. Twenty-three infants were being treated in incubators at the SNCU when the incident took place. The premises of the institute reverberated with unprecedented cries of the parents before everyone in the town woke up.

While duty doctors and nurses reportedly fled the SNCU, doors were locked automatically after the explosion of the ACs. A new mother managed to raise an alarm. Some security guards and drivers of private ambulance vehicles and attendants of patients mustered courage and rescued 22 infants. Their spontaneity apparently reduced the fatalities to three.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Damodara Rajanarasimha, along with Health and Medical Department Secretary Dr M Christina Z Chongthu, visited the RIMS and expressed grief over the incident. He said that an inquiry had been initiated into the incident and action would be taken against those responsible. Collector Rajarshi Shah and SP Akhil also visited the institute.