Delhi Neonatal Hospital Fire: 30 minutes delay in making distress call, LG Saxena orders ACB probe

New Delhi: Following the devastating fire at east Delhi’s Baby Care New Born Child Hospital on Saturday, Delhi's Lt Governor VK Saxena has instructed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate the registration and regulatory management of all private nursing homes in the national capital.

It has been revealed that the Delhi Fire Service received the call about the incident 30 minutes after the fire had started. By that time, some oxygen cylinders had already exploded.

Officials said there was half an hour of delay in informing the authorities about the fire. At least five PCR calls were made between 11.29 pm to 11.32 pm to report the fire, reports news agency PTI.

In his note to the chief secretary, Saxena said, "I have taken a very stern view in the matter. Though this is a transferred subject, in larger public interest, I am forced to step in, on account of the lack of seriousness on part of authorities entrusted with these responsibilities."

According to a PTI report, "In the matter at hand regarding the tragic fire and nursing home ... the ACB (Anti Corruption Branch) is directed to undertake a comprehensive inquiry into the registration of nursing homes in the city to assess how many nursing homes are functioning without valid registrations and whether those which have valid registration are complying with prescribed norms as provided under Delhi Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1953, and the rules made thereunder," the note said.

Five oxygen cylinders exploded when a fire broke out at a neonatal hospital in the Vivek Vihar area of east Delhi that was operating without a licence and a Fire department clearance, according to the Delhi Police FIR.

"Is there a proper check list to ensure whether the facility meets the requisite safety norms and has the medical infrastructure and professionals as provided under law? The ACB may also determine the connivance and complicity of concerned public servants of the Health department and bring out the criminal misconduct and negligence in this matter," the note further added.

Saxena said in the note that there are 1,190 nursing homes, of which more than a quarter are operating without a valid registration.

"Also, there are many nursing homes in the city which have never applied for a registration but are still operating. Even those nursing homes, which have a valid registration, may not be meeting the safety and regulatory standards as prescribed in The Delhi Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1953, and the rules made thereunder," he noted.

The Delhi Police are set to examine the call and message records of hospital owners Dr Naveen Khichi and Dr Akash, as well as question Dr Khichi's wife, Jagriti, who was on duty during the devastating fire at the Vivek Vihar facility that led to the deaths of six newborns.

A senior police officer said they will also question the DGHS officials under whose jurisdiction the hospital came and was found to be flouting several safety norms.

Investigators have already seized the mobile phones of the accused.

“As a part of investigation we have taken their mobile phones to know about the call records and messages shared between them. We will also check that if any message was later deleted,” a senior police officer privy to the investigation said, adding, if need be, the mobile phones of other staff members will also be checked.

Police have asked the hospital owners to submit the degrees and certificates of the doctors, nurses and paramedic staff employed at the facility.

As per a media report in The Hindu, The police have found out that the hospital had only one qualified doctor- its owner and main accused Dr Naveen Khichi. Three other persons working as ''doctors'' at the medical facility held Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMS) degrees and were appointed in place of actual doctors to save costs, the owner told the police.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Choudhary, Dr Naveen Khichi, who is 45-year-old, is owner of three more hospitals, one each in Punjabi Bagh, Faridabad, and Gurgaon. “Teams will also visit these hospitals for detailed investigation.” The officer said that during investigation they got to know that the fire broke out at 11 pm on Saturday, but the distress call to fire and police department was made only at 11.30 pm.

“We are focusing on why the call was not made half an hour earlier when the fire got started,” said the DCP.

Police sources mentioned that a list of over 15 questions has been prepared for other hospital staff members. Teams will also verify the credentials and fire safety compliance at the Punjabi Bagh, Faridabad, and Gurgaon centers.

“During investigation we also found that some other children’s hospitals used to refer newborns to this hospital on a high commission basis. A probe has been launched in this direction as well,” a source said.

According to the person, someone from the hospital was found to have tipped off the Punjabi Bagh, Faridabad and Gurgaon centres to check their oxygen cylinders and to remove extra cylinders.

“We will check records of these hospitals to know how many infants were getting treatment at the time of the incident in Delhi. Two more doctors, and six nurses will also be questioned on Tuesday and other staff will be questioned on Wednesday,” said one of the investigators.

Police said they will also question the DGHS officer who had issued a licence to the Baby Care New Born Child Hospital which expired on March 31.

After the fire tragedy, the Delhi government directed all state-run and private health facilities to conduct a fire audit, even as several safety lapses came to light at the five-bed neonatal centre with police also investigating why 27 oxygen cylinders were kept there.

Five of these cylinders exploded during the deadly blaze on Saturday night, resulting in six newborn deaths and five injuries.

On Monday, a city court granted the Delhi Police a three-day custodial interrogation of the hospital owner and an on-duty doctor.

Initially, police had said seven newborns were killed in the blaze but after the autopsy, it was found that one of the babies had died hours before the fire broke out.