Hyderabad: Two infants died and two others are in critical condition after a fire broke out at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Adilabad, Telangana, officials said on Tuesday.

The fire broke out around 11.50 pm on Monday, with preliminary information suggesting that an air-conditioner malfunctioned and may have exploded. The exact cause is yet to be established and an inquiry is underway.
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Of the infants undergoing treatment in the unit, one five-day-old pre-term baby died in the fire, while another infant died at a private hospital after being shifted there in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.

Twenty-five other babies were shifted to different private hospitals for treatment. Two of the infants are in critical condition, while the health of the other children is being continuously monitored.

A fire official said one fire tender was rushed to the hospital after the blaze was reported and brought the fire under control. The official said 28 children were safely rescued and evacuated from the ward.

Police have registered a case and are investigating the incident. A senior police official said the air-conditioner was suspected to have exploded due to malfunctioning, based on the preliminary investigation.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed grief over the deaths and directed officials to ensure better and advanced medical care for the infants undergoing treatment. He also ordered authorities to continuously monitor their condition and submit a report after investigating the cause of the fire.
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Reddy further directed officials to strengthen safety measures in hospitals to prevent such incidents in the future.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K T Rama Rao also expressed shock over the incident and conveyed concern for the children undergoing treatment.

(With agency inputs)