Two-month-old on ventilator suffers 18% burns at KEM Hospital in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A two-month-old baby from Varanasi suffered burns after a minor fire broke out at the paediatric ICU of KEM Hospital in Parel early on Thursday.

The condition of the baby was stated to be serious. The baby was on ventilator when the wires of the monitor attached to its body malfunctioned, causing sparks. The baby, Prince Rajbhar, had arrrived in the city only 24 hours before for treatment.

KEM dean Dr Hemant Deshmukh said the infant suffered 18% burns.

"The baby suffered burns in his scalp, left arm and shoulder. He continues to be on ventilator," he said. "It was a freak incident and we will ascertain what caused the sparks."

He said prima facie a short-circuit seemed to be behind it. "The wires attached to the monitor malfunctioned and caused the sparks," he said.

Sources at the hospital said the baby had arrived on Wednesday. "He has bad pneumonia combined with a congenital heart condition," a doctor said. "He came to us in a critical condition and continues to be serious."

The dean said a resident doctor and a nurse spotted the sparks around 3 am and rushed with a blanket to douse it. "They manage to control it and stabilised the child," Deshmukh said.

The fire brigade said it did not receive a fire call from KEM.

Doctors said the baby was born 3 kg but over time its weight dropped to 2.2 kg.

The parents had told the hospital authorities that they were unhappy with the treatment in Varanasi and were here hoping for better results.