Maha CM meets Bhandara fire victims' kin, orders safety audit

Maharashtra Chief MinisterUddhav Thackeray on Sunday said orders have been issued forconducting safety audit of all hospitals in the state, after10 newborn babies died in a hospital fire here.Thackeray flew in from Mumbai in the afternoon and metparents of the babies who died in the fire on Saturday.

Maharashtra Chief MinisterUddhav Thackeray on Sunday said orders have been issued forconducting safety audit of all hospitals in the state, after10 newborn babies died in a hospital fire here.

Thackeray flew in from Mumbai in the afternoon and metparents of the babies who died in the fire on Saturday. Healso spoke to hospital and health officials.

The chief minister told reporters that he met the kinof the victims with folded hands.

''I could not find words to console them,'' he said.

''The probe we have announced will also check if thefire was an accident or something which happened as a resultof ignoring earlier safety report,'' Thackeray said.

''I have also issued orders to check if there have beenany incidents in the state of ignoring safety norms athospitals while combating the coronavirus pandemic,'' he said.

A team has been formed to go into the safety aspectsof the incident, he said. ''Truth will come out. Stringentaction will be taken against those responsible for anylapses,'' he added.

Thackeray was accompanied by Maharashtra LegislativeAssembly Speaker Nana Patole during the visit.

Ten babies died after the fire broke out on Saturdayat the Special Newborn Care Unit of the four-storeyed districthospital in Maharashtra's Bhandara district town, about 900 kmfrom the state capital Mumbai.

The fire broke out around 1.30 am in the outbornsection of the hospital, an official said.

The outborn section is for children born elsewhere butreferred to the government hospital for special treatment.