Jhansi Fire Tragedy: Father Rescues Seven Infants But Loses Twin Daughters

Yakoob Mansuri, a young father of two, was outside the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi when a catastrophic fire engulfed the neonatal intensive care unit where his twin daughters were admitted. Driven by desperation, Yakoob broke a window and entered the blazing ward, heroically saving seven infants. Tragically, he could not rescue his own daughters.

"It was an enormous fire that no one could withstand," Yakoob shared, recounting the chaos as thick smoke and flames made rescue efforts nearly impossible. "I couldn’t reach the area where my daughters were admitted because the flames were too intense. Other parents tried too, but we failed. Instead, I focused on rescuing infants from other wards, saving seven children."

Heartbroken, Yakoob later identified the bodies of his daughters and is now seeking justice for them and the nine other infants who perished. "We just want justice for our children," he said.

The fire, which began on Friday night, claimed 10 lives initially, with another infant succumbing on Sunday. Preliminary investigations indicate the fire was caused by a short circuit, with oxygen cylinders in the ICU intensifying the disaster. Alarmingly, the fire extinguishers in the unit had reportedly expired four years ago.

The Uttar Pradesh government has set up a four-member committee to investigate the incident, determine the cause, and assess any negligence. The committee has been tasked with submitting its report within seven days.