Newborn, doctor among 4 killed as ambulance catches fire in Gujarat

Modasa (Gujarat): A newborn baby, a doctor and two other persons were charred to death when an ambulance they were travelling in caught fire near Modasa town in Gujarat's Arvalli district in the wee hours of Tuesday, police said.

The blaze erupted in the ambulance on Modasa-Dhansura road at around 1 am when the one-day-old boy, who was sick after birth, was being taken to a private hospital in Ahmedabad from a Modasa-based hospital for further treatment, police inspector D B Vala said.

The child, his father, identified as Jignesh Mochi (38), doctor Shantilal Rentia (30), from Ahmedabad, and nurse Bhuriben Manat (23), a native of Arvalli, were killed, he said.

Three others -- Mochi's two relatives and the private ambulance driver -- suffered burn injuries and were admitted to a nearby hospital, the official said.

"Jignesh Mochi was a native of neighbouring Mahisagar district and his newborn child was under treatment at a private hospital in Modasa after birth. When he was being taken to another private hospital, the ambulance caught fire on its way due to some unknown reason," Vala said.

In the CCTV footage released by police, the ambulance can be seen slowing down near a petrol pump after the driver realised about fire on its rear side.

"While the driver and two of Mochi's relatives, who were on the front seat, escaped with injuries, the infant, his father, along with the doctor and a nurse, who were on the back side of the vehicle, were charred to death in the blaze," Vala said.

Though the local fire brigade rushed to the spot after being alerted, the four victims could not be saved, he said.

The injured persons have been identified as driver Ankit Thakor and Jignesh Mochi's relatives - Gaurang Mochi and Gitaben Mochi.

District Superintendent of Police Manoharsinh Jadeja said forensic experts have been called in to investigate the incident and find out the causes that led to the tragedy.