# Three infants die in RIMS Adilabad SNCU fire, 25 rescued

2026-09-23T06:37:20+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

Three infants died and 25 others were rescued after a fire broke out at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Adilabad late on Monday night. The fire, caused by an exploding air-conditioner in the reception area, filled the unit with thick smoke. Telangana Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha said a preliminary inquiry indicated an electrical short circuit may have triggered it. The Times of India reports that a father, Saleem Khan, broke through a glass door to find his five-day-old daughter dead, allegedly due to asphyxiation. The police reached within three minutes, the Health Minister said. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy ordered an inquiry and directed hospitals to strengthen fire safety measures. The Telangana Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance and sought a detailed report from the state government on the causes, safety arrangements, and rescue measures.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The coverage divides along official response versus human cost. The Hindu leads with government statements, casualty figures, and the Health Minister's assurance of support, presenting a coordinated official narrative. The Times of India leads instead with the bereaved father's grief, an emotional account that the official reports omit. The TGHRC story is a separate institutional response, focusing on accountability. The differences are of emphasis, not contradiction. The public version has three deaths, the private grief is uncounted. The inquiry ordered by the CM and the HRC's suo motu notice will produce the key numbers to watch: the fire's exact cause and whether safety violations are found.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (sensationalist) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/father-breaks-into-smoke-filled-ncu-in-rims-finds-5-day-old-daughter-dead/articleshow/134424497.cms>
  Leads with a grieving father's personal tragedy and dramatic description of breaking glass
- thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/two-infants-die-in-fire-accident-at-telanganas-adilabad-hospital-sncu-ward-28-children-rescued/article71494002.ece>
  Institutional process story on TGHRC's suo motu cognisance and report request
- thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/tghrc-seeks-report-on-cause-of-rims-adilabad-fire-inquiry-findings/article71499044.ece>
  Institutional process story on TGHRC's suo motu cognisance and report request

Tags: A Revanth Reddy, Adilabad, C Damodar Raja Narasimha, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, SNCU
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