Jaipur, October 6 (Udaipur Kiran): A devastating fire broke out late Sunday night in the ICU of the Trauma Centre at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, Jaipur, killing eight patients, including three women. The incident occurred around 11:20 PM in the Neuro ICU ward’s storeroom, where papers, medical equipment, and blood sampler tubes were kept. Preliminary investigation suggests a short circuit as the likely cause.

According to hospital officials, there were 11 patients in the affected ICU at the time. Thick smoke quickly engulfed the ward, making evacuation difficult. Firefighters reached the spot immediately after the alarm but struggled to enter due to heavy smoke. After breaking windows from the rear side of the building, the fire was brought under control after nearly 90 minutes of effort.

All patients were evacuated — many with their hospital beds wheeled out onto the road. Witnesses reported that smoke was visible nearly 20 minutes before the blaze, but staff allegedly ignored initial warnings.

The deceased have been identified as Pintu (Sikar), Dilip (Aandhi, Jaipur), Srinath (Bharatpur), Rukmani (Bharatpur), Kushma (Bharatpur), Sarvesh (Agra, UP), and Bahadur (Sanganer, Jaipur).

Dr. Anurag Dhakad, Nodal Officer of the Trauma Centre, said,

“The ICU’s glass structure trapped smoke and toxic gases, leading to suffocation deaths. Firefighting systems were in place, but gas accumulation made rescue operations extremely challenging.”

A six-member committee has been formed to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident, examining the cause, response time, and safety lapses.

Following the tragedy, relatives of patients protested outside the hospital, accusing staff of negligence and delayed response. They claimed that despite early warnings, no action was taken until the fire spread.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma termed the incident “extremely unfortunate” and visited the hospital to review relief efforts. He assured strict monitoring and promised all possible assistance to affected families.

“The state government stands firmly with the victims’ families and is committed to ensuring proper treatment, safety, and support,” Sharma said.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed grief on X, urging a high-level investigation to fix responsibility and prevent such tragedies in future.