Fire in western Indian hospital kills 10 infants, 7 rescued

Police say a fire in the intensive care unit of a government-run hospital in western India has killed 10 infants

India Hospital Fire (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

A fire broke out in the intensive care unit of a government-run hospital in western India early Saturday, killing 10 infants, police and news reports said.

A preliminary investigation suggests the fire was caused by an electrical short-circuit, said police officer V.S. Chavan.

The Press Trust of India news agency said the infants were 1 to 3 months old.

Firefighters rescued seven babies from the newborn care unit of the hospital in Bhandara, a town in Maharashtra state nearly 1,000 kilometers (625 miles) south of New Delhi