A newborn who was severely burned in a fire at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a private hospital in Dhaka has died, four days after the incident. The infant passed away on Wednesday, according to hospital and family sources.
Incident Details
The fire broke out in a warmer inside the NICU of Royal Care and Surgical Hospital in Chankharpul just minutes after the baby was admitted on 7 November. The infant suffered burns to nearly 100% of his body in the incident. He was receiving treatment at the same hospital since then.According to eyewitnesses and hospital sources, the fire started suddenly shortly after the baby was placed in the unit. The infant's body was almost entirely burned in the blaze. Following the incident, the baby was moved to intensive care, but his life could not be saved despite four days of efforts.
Response from Authorities
No immediate official statement was available from the hospital authorities regarding the incident. However, the hospital had previously stated that treatment for the infant was ongoing. Local sources indicate that the family is preparing to take legal action over the incident.The incident has raised fresh questions about the safety protocols in neonatal wards across hospitals in the capital. Concerns have been expressed over the maintenance of electrical equipment used in NICUs and the effectiveness of emergency safety measures.
