Archive · 25 Aug 2026
Nashik Orders Hospital Safety Inspections After Amravati NICU Fire
A fire in a hospital baby-care unit in Amravati killed three newborns on August 24.
After this, officials in Nashik ordered hospitals to check their safety systems.
The order covers both government and private hospitals.
Special attention will be given to intensive-care areas because patients there may not be able to move easily.
Hospitals must check fire equipment, electrical systems, elevators and oxygen-related equipment.
They must repair problems within a set time and report what they found.
Emergency exits must remain clear and hospitals must have valid fire certificates.
Staff must also practice drills for safely moving babies and very sick patients.
Three newborns died in a fire at Amravati District Women’s Hospital’s NICU on August 24.
Nashik’s District Disaster Management Authority ordered fire and electrical safety inspections at all government and private hospitals.
ICUs, NICUs, PICUs and CCUs must be inspected if checks have not occurred within six months.
Hospitals must examine buildings, elevators, wiring, power equipment, oxygen plants, alarms and emergency exits.
Defects must be fixed, Fire NOCs maintained and mock drills conducted, including newborn and critical-patient evacuation training.
- Who
- The Nashik District Disaster Management Authority, led for this directive by Chief Executive Officer and Resident District Collector Rohitkumar Rajput, issued the order to government and private hospitals.
- What
- Fire, electrical and elevator safety inspections, repairs, certification checks and emergency mock drills were ordered.
- When
- The circular was issued on August 24, following the early-morning fire that killed three newborns the same day.
- Where
- Across hospitals in Nashik district, Maharashtra; the triggering fire occurred at District Women’s Hospital in Amravati.
- Why
- The inspections were ordered as a preventive response to the Amravati NICU tragedy and to identify hazards in high-risk hospital areas.
- Triggering incident
- Three newborns died in a fire at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Amravati District Women’s Hospital on August 24.
- Issuing authority
- Nashik District Disaster Management Authority.
- Hospitals covered
- All government and private hospitals in Nashik district.
- High-risk units
- ICU, NICU, PICU and CCU departments.
- Inspection timing
- Mandatory for relevant units if fire and electrical checks have not been conducted during the previous six months.
- Required follow-up
- Hospitals must rectify defects, submit reports, maintain valid Fire NOCs and conduct regular mock drills.
- Unconfirmed local estimate
- Marathi media reports cited approximately 195 Nashik hospitals as lacking proper or updated inspections, but the figure was not included in the official circular.