Eight killed in ICU fire at SMS Hospital in Jaipur; CM orders probe, PM modi expresses grief

A tragic fire broke out late Sunday night in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Trauma Centre at Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, resulting in the deaths of six patients, including three women. The fire, which started around 11:20 p.m., originated in the storeroom of the Neuro ICU ward, where paper, ICU equipment, and blood sampler tubes were stored. A short circuit is suspected to be the cause, according to the Trauma Centre's nodal officer and senior doctor. At the time of the incident, 11 patients were in the Neuro ICU, while 13 others were in an adjacent ICU.

The fire quickly filled the room with dense smoke, leading to chaos and suffocation. Despite the swift response from the fire brigade, hospital staff, local citizen security volunteers, and police administration, six patients succumbed to smoke inhalation and related complications. The deceased have been identified as Pintu (25) from Sikar, Dilip (40) from Jaipur, Shri Nath (54) from Bharatpur, Rukmani (45) from Bharatpur, Bahadur (40) from Jaipur, and Kusuma (54) from Bharatpur. The state government has launched an official inquiry into the incident, with a six-member committee formed to investigate the cause and handling of the fire.

Fire department employee Awadhesh Pandey described the scene upon arrival: "The entire ward was engulfed in smoke, leaving no way to enter. We had to remove window panes from the other side of the building and spray water inside." It took over an hour to bring the fire under control, during which patients were evacuated and shifted, along with their beds, to the street outside. Family members of the victims have alleged that early warnings were ignored. Sheru, a resident of Bharatpur, recounted, "Smoke started billowing nearly 20 minutes before the fire broke out. I alerted the staff, but no one responded. By 11:20 p.m., the smoke intensified, plastic tubes began melting, and the ward boys fled."

Government Response and Investigation

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma termed the incident "tragic" and demonstrated urgency by arriving at SMS Hospital at 2:30 a.m. to assess the situation. He met with doctors and senior officials, instructing them to provide immediate relief and ensure the best possible care for the affected patients. The Chief Minister emphasized that every necessary measure was being taken and the situation was being continuously monitored. In light of the incident, he postponed his official meetings in Delhi and remained in Jaipur to oversee the response efforts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the loss of lives in the Jaipur hospital fire tragedy and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

"The loss of lives due to a fire tragedy at a hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan, is deeply saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

In charge of SMS Hospital, Jagdish Modi mentioned that the fire was caused by a short-circuit.

Modi told IANS that the team of doctors from the trauma centre, along with the nursing staff, worked together to evacuate the patients.

"We tried to do our best to evacuate people. We shifted the patients to nearby wards, but there was panic due to the fire. But we tried our best to calm everyone down," he added.

Upon the arrival of the fire team, the entire ward was filled with smoke. The firefighters had to break a window on the opposite side of the building to begin extinguishing the fire.

Speaking to IANS, Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph said, "There is no fire now; it has been completely extinguished. However, the neuro ICU ward is entirely damaged by the blaze, and even the ceiling has collapsed. It was very difficult to evacuate the admitted patients, but our team and hospital staff worked hard and managed to move them quickly to nearby wards."

"After the forensic report, we can determine the cause of the fire," he added.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel and Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham also arrived at the incident site to take stock of the situation and assured all possible help to the patients.

The tragedy has raised serious questions about hospital infrastructure and emergency preparedness in one of Rajasthan's largest and busiest medical institutions. The Trauma and Orthopaedic Institute within SMS Hospital has a total of 284 beds, including 46 ICU beds and six general wards where approximately 250 patients are housed at any given time. The hospital also operates eight operation theatres, performing 40 to 60 surgeries daily, highlighting the facility's critical role in emergency and trauma care.

The incident has sparked protests from the relatives of the victims, who held a demonstration against the hospital administration and the state government. One protester alleged that the hospital staff ignored warnings when informed about the short circuit at the ICU. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot demanded a high-level investigation to ensure that such accidents do not recur in the future. The Rajasthan government has assured full support to the affected families, with the Chief Minister reiterating the administration's commitment to accountability and safety in medical facilities.