What authorities discovered in CCTV footage from a Delhi hospital where six neonates perished shows how much time was lost between the fire starting and the SOS calls.
According to the officer, Akash and the driver—who will remain nameless—were negligent.
The Saturday night fire at Baby Care New Born Hospital in Vivek Vihar resulted in the loss of thirty to thirty-five minutes. Around 10.55 p.m., two men who were on the property, including Dr. Akash, who was on duty, raced out after spotting a spark. At 11:29 p.m., a bystander placed the initial calls to the fire department and Police Control Room (PCR).
The Delhi Police claimed to have discovered this via CCTV footage that was taken from the hospital. The catastrophe claimed the lives of six babies.
“CCTV footage showed a person, possibly the center’s owner Dr. Naveen Khichi’s driver, and Dr. Akash sitting in the reception area, which is next to the main gate,” a senior officer stated. They bolted outside after spotting a spark in one of the lines. It started to get dark about 10.55 p.m. At 11:20 p.m., the first oxygen cylinder exploded. At 11:29 p.m., the initial call was placed to the fire and PCR departments. Around thirty to thirty-five minutes were lost at this time, which both the driver and Dr. Akash could have used to save the kids.
According to the officer, Akash and the driver—who will remain nameless—were negligent.
Doctors Khichi and Akash are in custody.
“The center had permission for only five beds, according to which there should be as many patients,” the officer continued. However, there were twelve babies at the scene, which was against the law.
The front part of the structure was primarily spared from the fire, the officer continued. Suffocating to death, the babies—the majority of whom had respiratory issues—died in a chamber located in the back of the first level.
Officers said that the oxygen cylinders were located in the front porch and reception area. Moreover, the ceiling was composed of plastic. Another officer stated, “It contributed to the fire spreading farther since it was combustible.
Khichi allegedly indicated he hired doctors who weren’t competent to save money, according to another officer. Khichi, three additional doctors, one doctor on call, six nurses, two receptionists, and three assistants made up the hospital’s payroll of sixteen employees.
“Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery” degrees were held by the three physicians. To find out if the nurses were qualified to care for newborns, their degrees are also being examined. Statements from witnesses and on-duty medical professionals are being collected, an officer announced. According to the police official, the doctors received a monthly salary of Rs 40,000.
According to police sources, Khichi attended Maulana Azad Medical College for his MBBS from 1999 to 2005. He completed his senior residency in pediatrics at Lady Hardinge Medical College after receiving his MD. He converted his Paschim Puri home into a clinic in 2013. Before it closed in 2021, he purchased the clinic in the B Block of Vivek Vihar in 2016. In 2020, he established a second clinic in the C Block of Vivek Vihar.
In order to assist the investigating officer (IO) in creating a building outline for the investigation, police have written to the fire department and DGHS requesting an audit of the facility.
