# Two infants die in fire at Telangana RIMS hospital

2026-09-22T08:08:00+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

Two infants, including a five-day-old baby, died after a fire broke out in the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Adilabad late Monday night. At least 25 newborns were evacuated and shifted to private hospitals, and two others are critical, officials said. Preliminary investigations suggest an electrical short circuit in a window air conditioner may have caused the blaze, though the exact cause is yet to be established. Police have registered a case. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed grief and ordered an inquiry, directing officials to submit a report and ensure the best treatment for the affected children. BRS working president KT Rama Rao demanded Rs 25 lakh ex gratia for each affected family and blamed the Congress government for negligence in maintaining public healthcare facilities, saying BRS leaders had earlier alerted authorities about conditions at RIMS.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The Times of India and The Federal stick to wire-style reporting, leading with the deaths and the suspected short circuit. Telangana Today's story is led by opposition demands, quoting KT Rama Rao's charge of government negligence and his claim of prior alerts. It omits the official account of the inquiry and the rescue efforts that the other two sources detail. The difference is focus: one frames the incident as a tragedy with an official response, the other as a political failure. The toll itself is disputed, with Telangana Today reporting three deaths against two elsewhere. The CM's inquiry report, which he ordered be submitted, will settle both the cause and the count.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/2-infants-die-after-fire-breaks-out-at-telanganas-rims-hospital-28-newborns-rescued/articleshow/134401145.cms>
  Neutral report leading with deaths and official inquiry
- thefederal.com (neutral report) <https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/telangana/telangana-hospital-fire-two-infants-die-after-sncu-blaze-in-hyderabad-257302>
  Wire copy with critical condition detail and PTI attribution
- telanganatoday.com (government critical) <https://telanganatoday.com/ktr-seeks-rs-25-lakh-ex-gratia-for-families-of-infants-killed-in-rims-fire>
  Leads with opposition ex gratia demand and government blame

Tags: A Revanth Reddy, Adilabad, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Telangana
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