# Three infants die in fire at Telangana government hospital 2026-09-22T18:41:55+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets Three infants died after a fire broke out in the Special Newborn Care Unit of the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Adilabad, Telangana, late Monday night. Officials said the blaze, apparently caused by a short circuit in an air-conditioning unit, filled the ward with thick smoke, making rescue difficult. All 27 infants in the unit were shifted to private hospitals, 20 remain admitted and four have been discharged after their condition stabilised. State Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha ordered an expert committee inquiry into the cause and safety lapses. The hospital will undergo electrical, fire safety and civil structure audits. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed grief and directed officials to provide advanced care to the affected infants. The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi demanded Rs 25 lakh ex gratia per family and accused the state government of neglecting hospitals. BRS leader K Kavitha criticised the health minister for showing what she called a lack of humanity. The government said strict action would be taken if negligence is found. ## Indian Opinion Analysis India Today and Rediff ran the story as straight wire copy, reporting the government's inquiry and safety audits without comment. Siasat, by contrast, led with the BRS demand for ex gratia and opposition accusations of neglect, framing the tragedy as a government failure. The common ground is the fire's cause and the three deaths. The balanced reading: both government action and opposition criticism are reported facts, but the latter is only in one source. The inquiry report and safety audits will determine accountability. ## Coverage - indiatoday.in (neutral report) Straight wire-style reporting with government response and no slant - siasat.com (government critical) Leads with opposition demand and criticism of government negligence - rediff.com (neutral report) PTI wire copy presented with no editorial slant Tags: A Revanth Reddy, BRS, Damodar Rajanarasimha, K Kavitha, RIMS Adilabad, Telangana Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/three-infants-die-in-telangana-hospital-fire-27-rescued/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/three-infants-die-in-telangana-hospital-fire-27-rescued/#story-in-brief