Bhopal: A major tragedy was averted at Rewa's Gandhi Memorial Hospital late Thursday night when a short circuit triggered smoke and sparks inside the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), prompting the emergency evacuation of eight newborns. The incident occurred around 9:45 pm on March 28, causing panic among attendants and hospital staff.
According to hospital sources, smoke suddenly began emanating from an electrical point in the SNCU ward due to a short circuit. Staff on duty immediately used fire extinguishers to control the situation before flames could spread. As a precaution, all eight infants were quickly shifted to another ward. Anxious family members rushed out carrying babies as chaos briefly gripped the premises. Officials stated the situation was brought under control within 25 to 30 minutes, and no infants or staff were injured.
The incident has reignited concerns about fire safety at the hospital, nearly six months after a fire broke out in the gynaecology operation theatre of Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa during a caesarean surgery. In that December 2025 incident, a woman undergoing surgery was rescued safely, but the body of her stillborn infant was partially charred amid the chaos.
Hospital superintendent Dr Rahul Mishra told TOI: “It was a short circuit that led to sparks and some smoke. Infants were immediately shifted to another ward, and the situation was brought under control within minutes. The current building is a very old structure; construction of a new maternal and child health building is already underway. Meanwhile, we conduct regular audits of systems.”
Hospital authorities said the affected section was inspected after the incident, and normal functioning was later restored.
