Two infants died after a fire broke out at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) ward of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Telangana’s Adilabad district late on Monday (September 21, 2026) night. The incident occurred around 11.50 p.m. As many as 25 other infants admitted to the ward were safely rescued and evacuated in time.

According to Adilabad District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr. Sadhana, the fire was caused after an air-conditioner in the reception area of the SNCU burst into flames.

“The SNCU has two sides, with 11 beds on one side and 13 on the other, while the Kangaroo Mother Care area located opposite the SNCU has four beds. The sections are enclosed and have glass windows, resulting in smoke accumulating inside the unit after the fire broke out. As soon as the fire was noticed, patient attendants broke the glass windows to allow the smoke to escape and helped evacuate the babies from the affected areas,” the DMHO said.

The rescued infants were subsequently shifted to nearby private hospitals for further treatment. Dr. Sadhana added that the two infants who died, aged five and four days respectively, were preterm babies. One of them died immediately after the incident, while the other succumbed four hours later.

On receiving information about the fire, a fire tender was rushed to the hospital and the blaze was brought under control. The cause of the fire was is yet to be ascertained. The police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.

CM conveys condolences

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed grief over the incident and conveyed his condolences to the families of the two infants. He stated that the death of two infants in the incident was extremely tragic. The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure better medical treatment for the children undergoing treatment at the hospital and to continuously monitor their health conditions. 

Mr. Reddy ordered an inquiry into the incident and directed officials to submit a report on the causes of the fire. He further instructed authorities to strengthen fire and other safety measures in hospitals across the State to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha expressed grief over the deaths and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. He assured them of the government’s support during the difficult time. “The condition of the other children who were in the ward at the time of the incident was stable and none have developed any complications,” said a note from the minister’s office.

The minister also instructed officials to immediately initiate an inquiry into the cause of the fire.