eople look at the charred remains at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the state-run RIMS, which caught fire after the AC unit burst (PTI)It was late on Monday night when M Fasil saw his daughter, only five days old, last.Born pre-term, she was admitted to the government-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Telangana’s Adilabad for treatment.“The doctor had allowed me into the Special Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU)… I was there for just 5-6 minutes, saw my daughter and prayed for her speedy recovery before coming out,” says Fasil.Moments later, following an explosion in the air-conditioning unit, the section was engulfed in fire. Three pre-term babies, all females and born at 28 weeks, died in the incident. Fasil’s daughter was one of them.“Now she is dead. What do I tell my wife Saba who is admitted at a different hospital? Who is to blame for this? Who is going to bring my daughter back?’’ asks Fasil as his brother tries to console him.Fasil’s daughter was born at a private hospital in Adilabad town. Owing to her precarious health, she was shifted to RIMS. “I heard the first explosion. The hospital staff is saying one unit exploded but … several AC units exploded inside due to which the fire spread so quickly,’’ says Fasil who hails from Indravelli — 36 kms from Adilabad.Fasil’s daughter weighed 1 kg when she was born to RIMS on September 18. She died at 12.30 am, an hour after the fire broke out.Story continues below this adAnother person who lost their baby is Shaik Bai from Ichoda, 32 kms away. Born pre-term 15 days ago, Bai’s daughter weighed 1.3 kgs when she was brought to RIMS last week. She died at 4.35 am on Thursday.The third and youngest baby to have perished in the tragedy was the daughter of Saba Samreen from Utnoor. Born on Sunday, she weighed 1.3 kgs. After rescuing her from the burning SNCU, her father rushed her to Nizamabad Government General Hospital where she succumbed at 6.15 am. People gather after the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the state-run RIMS caught fire after the AC unit burst, in Adilabad, Telangana, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. Two infants died, and two other babies are in critical condition after the incident. (PTI Photo)None of the three babies had been named yet.Following the incident, a pall of gloom descended over the hospital where relatives gathered and took the bodies back to their respective villages.‘Door got locked, had to break window panes’Story continues below this ad“There was chaos when the ACs started exploding. Everyone, including the nurses and doctors, rushed out and then, realising what was happening, went in again to rescue the infants. By then, thick smoke had enveloped the unit and nothing was visible. A door got locked so the glass panes and windows had to be broken to rescue all the infants. The babies were already gasping for breath or were crying,’’ a relative of Shaik Bai said.All the three victims were born at other hospitals but were rushed to RIMS for live-saving treatment.Two nurses and several hospital staff suffered burn injuries while rescuing around 28 infants. All the other infants were either born pre-term or had developed complications after birth.Firefighters battled the blaze, which broke out at 11.30pm, for more than an hour before bringing it under control.Story continues below this adAdilabad District Collector Rajarshi Shah said that several infants among the 28 who were safely evacuated developed breathing difficulties due to smoke inhalation. Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha said three infants were shifted to a private hospital in Adilabad and two others were moved to Nizamabad for further treatment.Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy ordered an inquiry and directed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the affected infants. He also instructed authorities to continuously monitor their health and ordered a safety and fire-prevention audit of all government hospitals in the state.The police and fire department officials are investigating whether an AC unit malfunction or a short circuit triggered the blaze. The chief minister has sought a detailed report on the cause of the fire.Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:telangana