Devastating Fire At Delhi Baby Hospital Claims Seven Infant Lives, Rajkot Gaming Zone Blaze Hits Death Toll Of 27

A series of tragic fires have struck India, claiming numerous lives and leaving many injured. Late on Saturday (25 May) night, a devastating fire broke out at a children's hospital in Delhi, leading to the deaths of at least seven newborns.

The Delhi Fire Services received an emergency call at 11:32 pm about a fire at a baby care centre in the Vivek Vihar area of East Delhi. In response, 16 fire tenders were dispatched to the scene.

Officials confirmed that 12 newborns were rescued from the first floor of the building; however, seven succumbed while receiving treatment at the hospital. Currently, five children are being treated at the same hospital. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

In another incident on Saturday night, a fire erupted at a residential building in Delhi's Shahdara area.

Upon receiving the alert, five fire brigade vehicles were sent to the location, and 13 people were rescued and taken to a hospital.

Adding to the weekend's tragedies, a massive fire broke out at a gaming zone in Rajkot, Gujarat, claiming the lives of 27 people, including nine children, on Saturday evening.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Vinayak Patel reported that the bodies are so badly charred that identification is challenging. The police have detained the owners of the gaming zone.

"This is a tragic incident, the first of its kind in Rajkot's history," said Darshita Shah, MLA of Rajkot West. "Our focus is on rescuing as many people as possible. The government will hold those responsible for this negligence accountable." A compensation of Rs 4 lakh has been announced for the families of the victims.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his distress over the incident, offering condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the injured.

President Droupadi Murmu also conveyed her sorrow, extending her heartfelt sympathies to the affected families and wishing for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava identified Yuvraj Singh Solanki as the owner of the gaming zone. He stated that the cause of the fire is under investigation and that fire brigade officials will be consulted to determine the appropriate actions.

A fire officer mentioned that the firefighting efforts are ongoing, despite challenges posed by the collapse of the temporary structure and high wind velocity. The exact number of casualties will be confirmed once the fire is controlled. An investigation into the cause of the fire will follow, and all gaming zones in the city have been instructed to shut down temporarily.