Amravati, Aug. 24 -- Three newborns died after a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the District Women's Hospital in Amravati in the early hours of Monday.

According to preliminary information, the fire erupted at around 3.30 am on the third floor of the hospital, reportedly following an explosion in a ventilator inside the neonatal unit.

Doctors, nurses and other staff on duty immediately launched an evacuation operation and managed to rescue several infants from the ward.

Around 39 newborns were reportedly admitted to the unit at the time of the incident. However, three babies suffered fatal burn injuries in the blaze. Six infants have been shifted to the Super Speciality Hospital for further treatment.

The...