Maharashtra Hospital Fire: 9 Newborns Among 58 Patients Safely Evacuated in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

A fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Asian Hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar early Friday, prompting an emergency evacuation of 58 patients, including nine newborns. No deaths or injuries were reported.

The incident was reported at around 2:20–2:45 am on September 4 at the hospital in the Akashwani Chowk-Jalna Road area. Preliminary information indicates that smoke was noticed coming from an air-conditioning unit in the NICU, with a short circuit suspected as the possible cause. The exact cause is still under investigationAt the time, 58 patients were on the first floor of the hospital. Nine were being treated in the NICU, while 36 were in the general ward and 13 were in special rooms.

Nine newborns moved to three hospitals

Hospital staff immediately began evacuating the babies after smoke was detected. Fire brigade and police personnel also joined the rescue operation.

All nine newborns were safely shifted from the NICU. Five were taken to Government Medical College and Hospital (GHATI), three to MGM Hospital and one to Sanjeevani Hospital for continued treatment. The transfers were made with the consent of their families.

Around 30 ambulances were deployed during the evacuation, according to officials. Police personnel from Jawahar Nagar police station and RCP teams also assisted in moving patients and securing the area.

Fire brought under control within minutes

Firefighters reached the hospital after the alarm was raised. Five fire tenders were reported to have been deployed, and the blaze was brought under control within roughly 10 to 15 minutes, preventing it from spreading further.

Hospital authorities said the staff's quick response helped in moving the vulnerable newborns out of the affected unit. The hospital administration subsequently said the premises had been cleaned and routine services had resumed.The incident comes just days after a separate NICU fire at the District Women's Hospital in Amravati, where three newborns died and 36 others were rescued. The Maharashtra government ordered a high-level inquiry into that incident.Authorities are now examining the circumstances surrounding the Asian Hospital fire, including the suspected electrical fault in the NICU's air-conditioning system.MP/Chhattisgarh relevance: No direct Madhya Pradesh or Chhattisgarh connection is evident from the verified reports, so a regional angle has not been forced into the story.