Six patients died after a massive fire engulfed an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the state-run Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur on Sunday night. The deceased included four men and two women.
Recounting the harrowing experience, relatives of the patients alleged that the hospital staff ignored warnings about the fire, and they fled the scene when the flames started spreading.
"We noticed smoke and immediately informed the staff, but they did not pay any heed. When the fire broke out, they were the first to run. Now, we cannot get any information about our patients. We want to know their condition, but no one is telling us," one attendee was quoted as saying by PTI.
Om Prakash, whose maternal aunt’s son lost his life in the incident, raised similar allegations. "Smoke started spreading around 11:20 pm, and I warned the doctors that it could cause discomfort to patients. By the time the smoke intensified, the doctors and compounders had already fled. Only four to five patients were evacuated,” he said.
#WATCH | SMS Hospital fire, Jaipur | "... It was my aunt's son. He was 25 years old and named Pintu... When smoke came out at 11.20 pm, we had informed the doctors that the patients might have problems. Then gradually the smoke increased. As the smoke increased, the doctors and… pic.twitter.com/sR3OuQ79Ku
— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2025
Jogendra Singh, who lost his mother, said he had alerted the doctors many times when he noticed the initial sparks, but his warnings were ignored.
“Suddenly, smoke engulfed the area, and all the staff ran out, leaving no one to help or save my mother. I was outside when I asked the police, and they said everyone had been evacuated. However, my mother and brother were still trapped inside the hospital. Somehow, I managed to rescue my brother, but he is now in critical condition," he told ANI news agency.
Narendra Singh, who also lost his mother, said there was no equipment or facilities available at the trauma centre to douse the fire. "There was a fire in the ICU, and I didn't even know. I had come downstairs to have dinner at the time,” he said.
#WATCH | SMS Hospital fire, Jaipur | "... The ICU caught fire. There was no equipment to extinguish it. There were no cylinders or even water to douse the fire. There were no facilities. My mother passed away...," says a person who lost a family member in the fire at Jaipur's… pic.twitter.com/BCV2Sa9jMT
— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2025
According to Anurag Dhakad, the trauma centre in-charge, most patients were in a coma and their survival reflexes were also poor, adding to the intensity of the tragedy.
Police said that although a short circuit is suspected to be the reason for the accident, the exact cause can only be ascertained after an investigation by the forensic team. |
