Owner Of Delhi Hospital Where 7 Newborns Killed In Fire Arrested

The owner of a Delhi hospital where seven babies were killed in a fire has been arrested, the Delhi Police said.

Dr Naveen Khichi, the owner of New Born Baby Care Hospital in East Delhi's Vivek Vihar, had been on the run since Saturday night after the fire broke out.

The police said he runs many other hospitals in Delhi.

Oxygen cylinders kept in the two-storey building exploded due to which the adjacent buildings were damaged, the fire department had said.

Firefighters also faced challenges during the rescue operation as the lane was narrow, with overhead wires.

"Several people had gathered at the spot and were recording videos. Many of them came close to those trying to douse the flames," a fire department officer said. "Another challenge we faced was there was no water source. Low-hanging electrical wires were a big problem," the officer added.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said the commission's team will visit the hospital to investigate the incident.

People who saw the huge fire engulf the children's hospital had scaled the compound wall, and climbed from the rear side of the building to rescue newborns, eyewitnesses told news agency PTI.

The eyewitnesses said local residents and members of a non-profit, Shaheed Seva Dal, were the first to rush to help.

Ravi Gupta, a resident, said locals were the first to enter the burning hospital and bring out as many babies as they could.

They were soon joined by fire department officials and the police. A member of the Sewa Dal alleged the hospital staff ran away soon after the building caught fire. Another resident, Mukesh Bansal, alleged an illegal oxygen refilling cylinder work was being carried out in the building.

"We had complained about it to the local councillor as well. But nothing was done. It was all happening under the nose of the police," Mr Bansal alleged. He said he used to live next to the hospital, but due to the "illegal" work of refilling cylinders, he shifted to the next lane.