When neighbours saw ray of hope in broken hospital windowpanes

Anshita Mehra

Advertisement

New Delhi, May 29

In a heart-warming display of courage and community spirit, a group of neighbours couldn’t stop themselves from rallying together to rescue the babies trapped in the blazing fire at the New Born Baby Care Hospital in Vivek Vihar hospital. As flames engulfed the ill-fated hospital, these unsung heroes formed a human chain to ensure the safe evacuation of the infants, embodying the true essence of humanity in the face of adversity.

While the fascade of the building was up in flames, it was the shattered windows at the back of the building that provided a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos, serving as a lifeline for the babies as they carefully passed to safety from one hand to another. The rear part of the building was engulfed with smoke with the fire still at bay.

It was a neighbour, Shashi, whose swift actions alerted others in the neighborhood to the unfolding tragedy. She spearheaded the formation of a human chain rallying her neighbours to join in the rescue efforts. With each passing moment, the chain grew stronger with hope still alive.

Further down the line of the human chain were Ankit Bansal, Jitender Goyal, and Ramesh, each playing a pivotal role in the rescue mission. Ramesh, along with another volunteer, ventured into the smoke-filled building and bravely emerged with 12 babies, ensuring their timely escape from the inferno.

As the backbone of the rescue operation stood Vinay Narang, the head of the C block Resident Welfare Association (RWA). With his impulsive thinking and selflessness, Narang swiftly transported five babies to safety in his car, accompanied by three brave women. Despite facing initial refusal from a hospital due to lack of facilities, their determination led them to a nearby daycare centre, where the babies were finally accepted.

Recounting the moment, Narang said, “When we received the babies, I could sense the toll the heat had taken on them. I immediately turned on both the front and rear AC of my car, and seeing a slight movement from them brought me immense relief. It was a moment of pure reassurance, knowing those precious little ones were going to be okay.”

Her voice trembling, Shashi recounted the heart-wrenching experience, saying, “I was the first to learn about the fire, I panicked, I started pounding on doors and yelling for help. It was then that a nurse’s desperate plea pierced through the chaos, informing me of the trapped babies inside”.

Recalling the horrific incident, she said, “Amidst the smoke and chaos, I found myself cradling two precious souls, their innocence stark against the backdrop of danger. Wrapping them snugly in bedsheets from my own home, my heart swelled with a mix of fear and determination.”

Summoning all resources at hand, with everything turned to ash around him, Ankit took off his T-shirt and wrapped the overheated babies. Meanwhile, another neighbour, Jitender, fearlessly ascended to the first floor of the hospital, looking for any sign of the helpless infants.

The Kharbanda couple, Anuj and Meenakshi, who was travelling on a scooter halted their journey to lend a helping hand seeing the building on fire and the ensuing chaos, Anuj being the one who persistently contacted the Fire Brigade.

Meenakshi and Shashi, along with another neighbour, Arunima Sharma, played essential roles in transporting the babies to safety in another neighbour’s car, cradling a baby each in their arms as they rushed to a nearby hospital to provide first-aid to the infants.

Among the rescued infants, two boys and three girls, all barely a month old, now have a chance at life, thanks to the selfless actions of the good samaritans.

The bravery and courage of these neighbours was acknowledged with BJP’s East Delhi candidate Harsh Malhotra honouring the heroes in an event on Tuesday.