In a shocking incident, six patients died after a massive fire broke out at the trauma centre of the state-run Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Rajasthan's Jaipur on Sunday night.
The deceased included four men and two women. They were identified as Pintu (from Sikar), Dilip (from Andhi, Jaipur), Shrinath, Rukmini, Khurma (all from Bharatpur) and Bahadur (from Sanganer, Jaipur).
#WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan | A massive fire broke out in an ICU ward of Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, claiming the lives of six patients pic.twitter.com/CBM6vcTMfZ
— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2025
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, who visited the hospital and reviewed the situation in the early morning, has formed a special committee to investigate the incident.
The committee, chaired by Iqbal Khan, Commissioner, Medical Education Department, will investigate the causes of the fire, the hospital management's response, the firefighting arrangements, the safety and evacuation of patients, and the measures to protect the hospital from such fires in the future, said an official statement.
Anurag Dhakad, the trauma centre in-charge, said the fire, triggered by a short circuit, was rapidly spreading and releasing toxic gases.
"The fire seems to have broken out due to a short circuit. Our patients were already in a very critical condition. The maximum patients were in a coma. So their survival reflexes are also poor,” Dhakad said.
#WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan | SMS Hospital Trauma centre Incharge Anurag Dhakad says, "Our trauma centre has two ICUs on the second floor: a trauma ICU and a semi-ICU. We had 24 patients there; 11 in the trauma ICU and 13 in the semi-ICU. A short circuit occurred in the trauma… pic.twitter.com/cjMwutRCl3
— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2025
“Due to the electrical burn, toxic gases were released there, and we had to shift them along with their support system. Their condition became more serious. We tried to shift them to the ICUs on the lower floor, but we could not save them,” he added.
According to reports, various documents, ICU equipment, blood sample tubes, and other items stored in the area were gutted by the fire.
Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph said the exact cause of the fire can be ascertained only after an investigation by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team.
“At first glance, it appears to be a short circuit, but the final cause will only be determined after the FSL investigation,” he said, adding that the bodies of the deceased have been shifted to the mortuary.
#WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan | On the fire incident at Sawai Man Singh Hospital, Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph says, "Our FSL team's investigation will reveal the cause of the fire. At first glance, it appears to be a short circuit, but the final cause will only be… pic.twitter.com/pNJrL23qud
— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2025
“Once everything is done, the post-mortem of the bodies will be conducted."
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel and Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham also visited the hospital and met the victims' families.
Kin alleges negligence
Meanwhile, relatives of the victims alleged negligence on the staff’s side and critical lapses in safety measures.
"When there was a spark, there was a cylinder beside it. The smoke spread throughout the ICU, causing everyone to flee in panic. Some managed to rescue their own patients, but mine was left alone in the room. As the gas spread further, they shut the gates,” Puran Singh, a relative of a patient, told ANI news agency.
Om Prakash, whose maternal aunt’s son lost his life in the incident, alleged that the doctors and attenders had fled the scene by the time the smoke intensified. |
