6 newborns killed in fire at baby hospital in India, after 4 children die in amusement park fire

Six newborns died after a fire ripped through a children's hospital in India's capital, and people rushed to save the infants, police said Sunday.

“The 12 newborns were rescued from the hospital with the help of others,” police officer Surendra Choudhary said in a statement, adding, however, that when they were treated by a doctor, six were dead.

“Legal action is underway against the owner of the hospital,” Choudhary said.

He did not provide further details on how the children died.

The owner of the baby hospital has fled, Delhi Police said.

In addition to the six deaths, another baby among the 12 pulled out from the choking smoke had died before the fire started, Choudhary said, without elaborating.

The fire broke out at New Born Baby Care Hospital in Delhi's Vivek Vihar area on Saturday evening.

Delhi Fire Chief Atul Garg said 14 fire trucks had been sent to tackle the blaze, he told news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).

“The fire spread too quickly due to an explosion in an oxygen cylinder,” he told PTI.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the situation “heartbreaking”.

“We all stand with those who lost their innocent children in this accident,” he said on social media.

“The causes of the incident are under investigation and those responsible for this negligence will not be spared.”

The fire came a day after 27 people were killed in a fire at an entertainment center in the western state of Gujarat. Local media reported that two people were arrested in connection with the incident.

Additional reporting from Reuters