Fire at Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Hospital Claims Six Lives
NEW DELHI: A tragic incident occurred late Sunday night at the trauma ICU of Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, resulting in the deaths of six patients, while five others remain in critical condition. Initial investigations suggest that a short circuit may have sparked the fire, although the exact cause is still under investigation by authorities.
Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph remarked, “At first glance, it appears to be a short circuit, but a definitive conclusion will be reached after a forensic science laboratory (FSL) investigation.”
The fire originated on the second floor of the trauma ICU, rapidly spreading and releasing toxic gases. Anurag Dhakad, Trauma Centre In-charge at SMS Hospital, reported that the facility housed 24 patients at the time: 11 in the trauma ICU and 13 in an adjacent semi-ICU. “We had to act quickly. Our trauma centre team, nursing officers, and ward boys successfully evacuated many patients on trolleys. Unfortunately, six patients were critically affected; despite attempts to revive them with CPR, they could not be saved,” he stated.
Of the deceased, two were women and four were men. Dhakad indicated that five patients are still in critical condition. Rescue operations were completed shortly after firefighters extinguished the blaze.
Relatives of victims have expressed anguish amidst allegations of negligence regarding safety protocols and the hospital staff’s response during the emergency. Puran Singh, whose relative was a patient, described the chaos: “When there was a spark, there was a cylinder beside it. The smoke engulfed the ICU, causing panic. Some relatives managed to rescue their patients, but mine was left behind as the smoke spread further, and they shut the gates.”
Narendra Singh reported that while he was having dinner downstairs, he was unaware of the fire until he learned that his mother was inside the ICU without adequate fire-fighting equipment present.
Om Prakash recounted a similar experience, “I warned the doctors repeatedly that smoke was beginning to spread, but they did not heed my warnings. By the time the smoke intensified, the staff had already fled, leaving most patients unassisted.”
Another relative, Jogendra Singh, expressed frustration over the evacuation procedures. “I alerted the doctors multiple times about the smoke, yet they dismissed it as normal. Suddenly, the area was engulfed in smoke, and staff abandoned their posts,” he claimed. He managed to rescue his brother, who remains in critical condition.
Ranjit Singh Rathore, a family member of another patient, received a call informing him of the incident. He rushed to the hospital but faced initial resistance when trying to enter. Upon gaining access, he found his brother had already succumbed to the smoke.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the short circuit and conducting a damage assessment of the facility.
