A fire ravaged a neonatal intensive care unit at Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of ten newborns due to burns and asphyxiation, a government official reported on Saturday.

The fire ignited late Friday at the medical college, located approximately 180 miles southwest of Lucknow.

Emergency services successfully rescued 38 infants from the ward, which initially housed 49 babies, according to state Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.

Pathak informed reporters in Jhansi that seventeen injured infants are receiving treatment at various hospital facilities, including private hospitals. Seven of the deceased infants have been identified; authorities are working to identify the remaining three.

A government official, requesting anonymity due to lack of media authorization, stated that one infant remains unaccounted for.

The origin of the fire is yet undetermined. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has initiated an investigation into the incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences regarding this tragic event. Modi expressed his sympathies on X, stating, “My deepest condolences to those who lost their innocent children in this. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense loss.”