BHOPAL — At least four infants died when a fire broke out in the neonatal ward of a hospital in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh Monday night, prompting the government to order a high-level probe into the incident.

Firefighters were able to save 36 babies from the Kamla Nehru Children's Hospital in the state capital Bhopal.

Disturbing visuals show parents trying to rush into the smoke-filled hospital.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but officials said an electrical short circuit could be a reason.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the incident was painful. He ordered an inquiry and announced to pay 400,000 rupees (£4000; $5400) to the families of the victims.

The fire broke at around 21:00 local time, plunging the hospital into darkness. Visuals show angry parents trying to enter to save their babies as the hospital's security staff struggle to stop them.

The state’s Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang said a short circuit may have caused the fire and described the situation inside the ward as "very scary".

Firefighters took three hours to douse the blaze.

"We were unable to save three children who were already seriously injured in the fire incident which is very painful. The rescue operation was swift and the blaze is under control, now but unfortunately the lives of three children could not be saved," Chouhan had tweeted earlier. Another death was reported later.

"A high-level probe into the incident has been ordered. The probe will be conducted by the additional chief secretary (ACS) health and medical education, Mohammad Suleiman," the chief minister said in another tweet.

Calling the incident as "very painful", former Chief Minister and Congress leader Kamal Nath demanded "a high-level probe" into the incident and stern action against those responsible for it.

Hospitals fires in India are not uncommon as safety standards are not always strictly followed.

On Sunday, 11 patients died in a Covid ICU of a hospital in Maharashtra state when a fire broke out. An inquiry has been ordered to know the cause of the fire. — Agencies