RIMS Adilabad SNCU Fire: Death Toll Rises to Three Infants; Probe Ordered
Three infants have died following a fire in the Special Newborn Care Unit at RIMS Adilabad. Officials are investigating a suspected AC-related electrical malfunction, while the Telangana government has ordered an inquiry and stronger hospital safety measures.
RIMS Adilabad hospital, where a fire was reported in the Special Newborn Care Unit on September 21, 2026
Table of Contents (16 sections)
ADILABAD, September 22, 2026: Three infants have died following a late-night fire in the Special Newborn Care Unit at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Adilabad, Telangana, with authorities investigating whether an electrical fault involving an air-conditioning unit triggered the blaze.
The fire broke out late on Monday, September 21, inside the hospital's Special Newborn Care Unit, or SNCU. Thick smoke spread through the unit, forcing hospital staff and emergency personnel to evacuate newborns receiving treatment.
The death toll, initially reported as one and later two, rose to three on Tuesday morning after another infant died while undergoing treatment at Government General Hospital in Nizamabad. Telangana Today reported that the 20-day-old baby died at around 9 a.m. on September 22.
Three other infants remained in serious condition at hospitals in Adilabad according to the latest report available around midday Tuesday, while the condition of the remaining evacuated children was reported to be stable.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has ordered an inquiry into the incident and directed officials to submit a report on its causes. He also instructed authorities to ensure appropriate treatment and continuous monitoring of the affected infants and to strengthen safety measures in hospitals.
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Three infants have died following the SNCU fire at RIMS Adilabad.
Fire broke out late on September 21; suspected AC-related electrical fault under investigation.
Multiple newborns evacuated; three remained in serious condition as of midday September 22.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy ordered an inquiry and hospital safety audit.
Exact cause, final patient numbers and any negligence findings remain pending.
Investigation continues into electrical systems, fire safety and evacuation procedures.
What Happened at RIMS Adilabad?
The fire occurred in the SNCU at RIMS Adilabad shortly before midnight on September 21.
Early accounts placed the incident at approximately 11.30 p.m. to 11.50 p.m. Officials and multiple reports said flames and heavy smoke spread through the neonatal unit after a suspected malfunction involving an air conditioner or an electrical short circuit. The precise sequence, however, has not yet been formally established by the investigation.
That distinction is important. While preliminary accounts point towards an electrical fault involving an AC unit, authorities are still investigating the exact cause and whether any maintenance, electrical or fire-safety lapses contributed to the incident.
Adilabad District Collector Rajarshi Shah and other senior officials reached the hospital following the fire and reviewed the rescue and treatment arrangements.
Fire personnel, police, medical teams, hospital staff and attendants were involved in moving infants away from the affected unit.
The Indian Express reported that parents and hospital employees broke glass panes as smoke filled the ward and that two nurses and other hospital staff suffered injuries during the rescue effort. Firefighters later brought the blaze under control.
How Did the Death Toll Rise to Three?
Information changed rapidly during the first several hours after the fire.
Initial reports said a five-day-old infant had died following the incident. As information from hospitals and district authorities developed, the toll was revised to two and then three.
According to the latest Telangana Today report, one newborn died around the time of the incident, another infant died while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Adilabad early on Tuesday, and a third — a 20-day-old baby — died at Government General Hospital in Nizamabad at around 9 a.m.
The Indian Express also reported three deaths, saying one infant died at the scene, another during treatment later in the night and the third on Tuesday morning after suffering the effects of smoke inhalation.
Because the situation developed overnight and patients were transferred to different hospitals, some early reports contained lower casualty figures.
For readers following the incident, the latest verified toll available on Tuesday afternoon is three infant deaths.
How Many Newborns Were Inside the SNCU?
Reports published during the developing emergency have given different figures for the number of infants inside the unit or evacuated.
India Today, citing the Adilabad District Collector in an early report, said 24 babies were present and 23 were shifted to other hospitals after one infant died during the evacuation.
The Indian Express subsequently reported that around 28 infants were rescued, while Telangana Today said around 30 infants had been receiving treatment in incubators when the incident occurred.
These variations appear to reflect different stages of information gathering during the emergency.
Until authorities issue a consolidated inquiry report, it is safer not to present one of the differing early counts as the final official number.
What is clear is that a large number of newborns had to be urgently moved from a specialised care environment after smoke entered the unit.
What Is an SNCU?
A Special Newborn Care Unit is designed to provide round-the-clock treatment for newborns who require more intensive medical attention than routine post-delivery care.
Such units commonly care for premature babies, infants with low birth weight and newborns who require close clinical monitoring or additional medical support.
That makes an emergency evacuation particularly challenging because some patients may depend on incubators, oxygen, ventilatory support or continuous monitoring.
The RIMS incident therefore involves more than evacuating patients from an ordinary hospital room. Medical teams also have to maintain continuity of treatment while transferring highly vulnerable newborns to safe locations.
Several infants from RIMS were moved to other facilities in Adilabad and Nizamabad following the fire.
Was an AC Explosion Responsible for the Fire?
An AC-related electrical malfunction is the leading preliminary explanation reported so far, but the final cause has not been established.
Several accounts said an air-conditioning unit malfunctioned or exploded after an apparent electrical short circuit.
Adilabad officials cited in early reports described this as preliminary information. Police and fire officials are investigating whether an AC malfunction, short circuit or another electrical problem started the fire.
This means it would be premature to state definitively that an "AC explosion caused the fire" until the official inquiry establishes the sequence.
The investigation will be important in determining not only where the fire began, but also whether equipment failure, wiring, maintenance practices, fire-control systems or other factors played a role.
What Is the Condition of the Surviving Infants?
The latest detailed report published by Telangana Today at 12.35 p.m. on September 22 said three infants receiving treatment at different private hospitals in Adilabad remained in serious condition.
The same report said the remaining infants were understood to be stable.
Earlier reports contained different figures for how many children were considered critical, reflecting the rapidly changing medical situation after the evacuation.
The Chief Minister directed officials to provide treatment to the affected children and continuously monitor their health.
Because the infants were shifted between facilities and their clinical condition can change, further updates from health authorities will be significant.
Chief Minister Orders Inquiry
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed grief over the deaths and ordered officials to investigate what caused the fire.
He directed officials to submit a report and instructed the administration to ensure that children undergoing treatment receive appropriate medical care and continuous monitoring.
The government has also called for stronger safety measures in hospitals to reduce the risk of similar incidents.
The Indian Express reported that the Chief Minister ordered a safety and fire-prevention audit of government hospitals following the Adilabad incident.
The inquiry into RIMS Adilabad will therefore be important not only for establishing what happened inside the SNCU but also for determining whether broader corrective measures are required across healthcare facilities.
What Investigators Will Need to Establish
Several key questions remain unanswered.
1. What exactly started the fire?
Preliminary accounts point to an AC or electrical fault. Investigators will need to establish the precise source of ignition and sequence of events.
2. Was the electrical equipment properly maintained?
The inquiry may examine the condition of the air-conditioning equipment, electrical wiring and related systems in the neonatal unit.
No finding of negligence should be assumed before that process is completed.
3. How quickly were emergency systems activated?
The response timeline — from the first sign of fire or smoke to evacuation and firefighting — could help authorities determine how emergency procedures performed.
4. Were fire-safety systems adequate?
Authorities are expected to assess whether the unit's fire detection, suppression and evacuation arrangements met applicable requirements and functioned as intended.
5. What happened during the evacuation?
The inquiry is also likely to reconstruct how many babies were inside the SNCU, where they were transferred and how medical support was maintained during the emergency.
A consolidated official report would also help resolve discrepancies in early figures concerning the number of infants present and evacuated.
Hospital Safety Comes Under Scrutiny
The incident has renewed attention on fire and electrical safety in healthcare facilities, particularly areas treating patients who cannot evacuate themselves.
A newborn care unit presents a particularly sensitive environment because many patients are premature, medically fragile or dependent on specialised equipment.
Hospitals therefore have to prepare not only for controlling a fire but also for safely transferring patients while maintaining medical support.
The Telangana government's direction to strengthen safety arrangements means attention is now likely to extend beyond RIMS Adilabad.
Any subsequent audit findings, corrective orders or disciplinary action should depend on verified inspection and inquiry results rather than assumptions made immediately after the incident.
What Happens Next?
The immediate priorities remain treatment of the surviving infants and completion of the investigation.
Authorities are expected to examine the suspected electrical malfunction, hospital safety arrangements and the circumstances surrounding the evacuation.
The state government has sought a report on the incident, while police and fire officials are also investigating the cause.
Any official finding on negligence, equipment failure or responsibility should emerge only after those inquiries are completed.
Further updates may also clarify the condition of the infants still receiving treatment and provide a final, consolidated count of patients who were inside the SNCU when the fire began.
For families and the wider public, the most immediate concern remains the health of the surviving children. For authorities, the incident presents a broader question: whether lessons from the Adilabad fire can be translated into stronger prevention, detection and emergency-response systems across hospitals.
Timeline of the RIMS Adilabad Fire
Time / Date
Development
Late September 21, 2026
Fire breaks out in the SNCU at RIMS Adilabad
Around 11.30–11.50 p.m.
Flames and heavy smoke spread through the newborn care unit
Overnight
Infants are evacuated and transferred to other hospitals
Early September 22
Death toll rises as another infant dies during treatment
Around 9 a.m., September 22
A 20-day-old infant dies at Government General Hospital, Nizamabad, taking the toll to three
September 22
CM Revanth Reddy orders an inquiry and stronger hospital safety measures
Latest available update
Three other infants reported in serious condition; investigation continues
What Remains Unconfirmed
Several details should be treated as provisional until authorities complete the inquiry:
the definitive technical cause of the fire;
the exact sequence involving the air-conditioning unit;
whether negligence contributed to the incident;
the final consolidated number of infants in the SNCU at the time;
the complete findings of fire, electrical and hospital-safety inspections;
whether any individual official or contractor will face action.
The fire is therefore a developing public-interest story, and later official findings may materially change or add to the information currently available.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many infants have died in the RIMS Adilabad fire?
Three infant deaths had been reported by midday on September 22, 2026. The third infant died while undergoing treatment at Government General Hospital in Nizamabad.
When did the RIMS Adilabad fire happen?
The fire broke out late on Monday, September 21, shortly before midnight, inside the hospital's Special Newborn Care Unit.
What caused the RIMS Adilabad SNCU fire?
An electrical malfunction involving an air-conditioning unit is suspected based on preliminary reports. The exact cause has not yet been established, and authorities have ordered an investigation.
How many babies were evacuated?
Early reports differ. Various accounts placed the number inside or evacuated from the unit between the mid-20s and around 30. A final official consolidated figure is still awaited.
Has the Telangana government ordered an inquiry?
Yes. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy ordered an inquiry into the incident, sought a report and directed officials to strengthen hospital safety measures.
Bottom Line
Three infants have died following a fire in the Special Newborn Care Unit at RIMS Adilabad on the night of September 21.
Authorities are investigating a suspected air-conditioning or electrical malfunction. Multiple newborns were evacuated; three remained in serious condition as of the latest updates. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has ordered an inquiry and directed stronger hospital safety measures across the state.
Key Takeaway
Three infants die after RIMS Adilabad SNCU fire.
Suspected AC/electrical fault under investigation.
The Rajatheertha Team publishes news, explainers, guides and updates across India and the world. Our coverage follows Rajatheertha's editorial, verification and corrections standards.
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