Five senior health and hospital officials faced suspension following an investigation that flagged safety and maintenance lapses at the hospital. The Maharashtra Public Health Department has suspended five officials and employees following an inquiry into the August 24 fire at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Amravati District Women’s Hospital, which claimed the lives of three newborns, officials said.

Those suspended include Deputy Director of Health Services (Akola Circle) Sushilkumar Wakchaure, Medical Superintendent of Amravati Women’s Hospital Vinod Pawar, Additional District Surgeon Arun Salunkhe, the hospital’s administrative officer and an electrician. The fire broke out at around 3.15am in the neonatal unit on the hospital’s third floor, where 39 newborns were undergoing treatment. While 36 babies were rescued, six critically affected infants were shifted to a nearby super-speciality hospital. Three newborns died in the incident. Officials suspect that a ventilator may have triggered the fire.

An inquiry committee headed by Health Services Commissioner Sanjay Katkar found serious shortcomings in the hospital’s maintenance and fire-safety arrangements. The report noted that the ventilator required timely maintenance and repairs, while the fire alarm and sprinkler systems were found to be non-functional. The committee also found that the fire pump house was locked, along with deficiencies in equipment maintenance and technical inspections.

According to the Public Health Department, the officials were found prima facie responsible for negligence, supervisory failures and lack of proper control. Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against them under Rule 8 of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979.The government has also ordered action against contractual employees found responsible for the lapses and directed the Public Works Department to take appropriate action against officials linked to the incident. Two companies named in the inquiry have also faced action, including proceedings to blacklist them.

In a bid to strengthen fire safety in hospitals, the government has ordered CCTV cameras to be installed in SNCUs and NICUs and made regular fire-safety mock drills mandatory across hospitals. Government hospitals have also been instructed to strictly follow standard operating procedures covering fire safety, electrical safety and equipment maintenance. District authorities and municipal commissioners have been given three months to complete electrical and fire-safety audits of hospitals under their respective jurisdictions, officials said.