At least eight patients lost their lives in a devastating fire that broke out in the ICU of the trauma centre at Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, one of Rajasthan’s largest government-run medical facilities, on Sunday night.
As per reports, fire erupted around 11:20 PM in the Neuro ICU’s storage area on the hospital’s second floor, where papers, medical equipment, and blood sample tubes were kept. A suspected short circuit is believed to have triggered the blaze, which rapidly engulfed the ICU ward and filled it with toxic smoke, causing panic among patients, their families, and hospital staff.
At the time, 11 patients were admitted to the affected ICU and 13 more patients to an adjoining ward. Hospital staff and relatives worked frantically to evacuate patients, some on ventilators, by wheeling their beds outside the building to safety. However, the fire and dense smoke severely hampered rescue efforts. It took firefighters about one and a half to two hours to bring the fire under control, breaking windows to gain access as corridors were blocked by smoke.
Despite efforts including CPR and emergency care, eight patients succumbed to the incident, while three others remain in critical condition. The deceased include both men and women from various parts of Rajasthan.
Eyewitnesses and relatives alleged negligence, claiming that initial warnings about smoke were ignored by hospital staff and that some personnel fled the scene in panic, leaving families desperate for information on their loved ones. Many also pointed to the hospital’s inadequate fire safety infrastructure, reporting that fire alarms failed to function and oxygen lines were not promptly shut off, which accelerated the fire’s spread.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma arrived at the hospital late at night and expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He ordered a thorough inquiry to identify lapses and prevent future incidents. He directed the Chief Secretary and other officials to submit a detailed report within three days. The government has announced ₹5 lakh compensation for each family of the deceased.
Hospital authorities confirmed the fire’s suspected cause as a short circuit but emphasized that a forensic investigation would determine the final cause. Survivors have been shifted to other wards and nearby medical facilities as doctors and staff work to stabilize their conditions.
The incident has sparked widespread anger and sorrow among the public, opposition leaders, and civil society groups, who are demanding accountability and urgent reforms to improve fire safety standards in government hospitals across the country.
This tragic event at Rajasthan’s largest government hospital has cast a harsh spotlight on the need for stringent safety protocols and emergency readiness to safeguard vulnerable patients in critical care.
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