A newborn baby girl died after a fire broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit of a private nursing home in Kanpur, leaving her family devastated and angry. The incident took place at Raja Nursing Home in the Bithoor area of Kanpur on Sunday evening, February 8, 2026. The family has accused the hospital of negligence and claimed that staff hid the incident for several hours.
The baby was born to Shalu Nishad at around 4 pm on Sunday. It was the couple’s first child. Shortly after birth, doctors shifted the newborn to the NICU for routine monitoring and placed her near a warmer machine to regulate her body temperature.
Later in the evening, a fire erupted inside the NICU. Initial findings suggest that a short circuit in the warmer machine triggered the blaze. The newborn suffered severe burns on her face, chest, and abdomen. Despite medical efforts, she later succumbed to her injuries.
The baby’s father, Arun Nishad, alleged that hospital staff did not immediately inform the family about the fire or the baby’s critical condition. He claimed that the incident was concealed for nearly four to five hours.
According to the family, staff repeatedly told them the baby was fine. It was only after persistent questioning and demands to see the newborn that hospital personnel revealed the truth. By that time, the baby had already suffered fatal injuries.
The delay in disclosure deepened the family’s shock and grief.
After learning about the fire, the family and relatives protested inside the hospital, accusing the management of serious negligence and lack of transparency. The situation became tense, prompting police intervention to maintain order.
Local residents also gathered outside the nursing home and demanded strict action against those responsible for the incident.
Bithoor Deputy Commissioner of Police Qasim Abdi confirmed that the family submitted a written complaint. Police have launched an investigation and are recording statements from the family members and hospital staff.
Authorities have also sought a detailed report from the Chief Medical Officer. The hospital has been asked to explain its safety arrangements, electrical maintenance practices, and emergency response protocols. Further legal action will be decided after the inquiry and postmortem report.
(Rh/ARC)