Jaipur, Dec 31 (IANS): A 15-day-old baby sustained severe burn injuries after a fire broke out at the neonatal care unit of Alwar's Geetanand Children hospital in Rajasthan due to a short circuit on Tuesday.

Following the incident, the baby was later shifted to JK LON hospital in Jaipur.

Sources said that none of the hospital staff was available at the site when the short circuit was reported. However, after noticing dense fumes emanating from the ward, the staff rushed to the site where the baby, who was being admitted to the hospital for the last one week, suffered burn injuries. Soon after the incident, 15 babies from the unit were later shifted to other wards.

The baby girl's relatives said that she was admitted to hospital after complaining of breathing problems. Around 5 a.m. in the morning, the family members were called by the hospital authorities under an emergency situation, where they found the child with burn injuries.

Alwar Additional collector Uttam Singh Shekhawat confirmed that the baby sustained burn injuries.

The incident comes at a time when the officials concerned are being criticised for their negligence into the deaths of 77 infants within a month in Kota.