Ten children have died in a fire that broke out on Saturday at Bhandara District General Hospital, Maharashtra, ANI reported. The fire broke out at the Sick Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) at 2 am on Saturday.

All the infants were between a month and three months old, PTI reported, quoting a doctor as saying.

Also read: Fire breaks out in Udupi hotel, Karnataka due to lightning

Also read: Forest fire in Nagaland’s Dzukou Range under control: Officials

Seven children were rescued from the unit, said Pramod Khandate, Civil Surgeon, Bhandara, ANI reported. 

Another doctor told PTI that a nurse first noticed smoke coming out from the neonatal section of the hospital and alerted doctors and other staff who reached there in five minutes.

Fire brigade personnel rescued seven babies from the ‘inbound ward’ of the unit but could not save the 10 other babies, he said.

The cause of the fire in the four-storeyed building is not known but could have been the result of an electrical short circuit, he said.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray spoke to Health Minister Rajesh Tope as well as District Collector and Superintendent of Police of Bhandara district over the fire incident in District General Hospital, ANI reported. He has ordered a probe, the CM’s office said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the incident.

“Heart-wrenching tragedy in Bhandara, Maharashtra, where we have lost precious young lives. My thoughts are with all the bereaved families. I hope the injured recover as early as possible,” Modi tweeted.

Union Home Minister took to Twitter to offer his condolences.

“The fire accident in Bhandara district hospital, Maharashtra is very unfortunate. I am pained beyond words. My thoughts and condolences are with bereaved families. May God give them the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” he tweeted.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, too, took to Twitter to offer his condolences. He appealed to the state government to provide all possible assistance to the families of the deceased and the injured.

Maharashtra’s Health Minister, Rajesh Tope, has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakhs each to the kin of the deceased, ANI reported.

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis demanded an immediate probe into the incident, ANI reported. “I have also asked the government to take strict action against the culprits,” he said.