Jaipur SMS Hospital Fire: Seven Lives Lost Amid Allegations of Negligence and Safety Lapses:

A massive fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur on Sunday evening, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least seven patients. The horrifying incident has raised serious questions about the hospital’s safety protocols, equipment availability, and staff response. Eyewitnesses and grieving families have come forward with harrowing accounts of chaos, delayed response, and administrative negligence that may have cost lives. The fire, which is believed to have started due to a short circuit, spread rapidly through the ICU. Reports suggest that the presence of a gas cylinder near the initial spark worsened the situation, causing thick smoke to engulf the ward. Panic broke out as patients, their families, and staff scrambled to escape. “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,” said Puran Singh, a relative of one of the victims. At the time of the incident, 11 patients were inside the ICU, and 13 others were in an adjacent ward. Several survivors were evacuated and treated, but for others, help came too late. "There Were No Facilities to Douse the Fire" Multiple families of the deceased have alleged that there was no fire-fighting equipment available when the fire broke out. Some even claimed that they had alerted hospital staff about a potential short circuit earlier, but no action was taken. “There wasn’t even any equipment to douse the fire—no facilities were available. My mother was admitted there,” said Narendra Singh, another attendant who lost his loved one in the fire. As fire crews rushed to the scene, they found that the ICU was already filled with smoke, making entry impossible. A senior fire officer stated that emergency teams had to break windowpanes from the opposite side to spray water jets and control the flames. It reportedly took over 90 minutes to completely douse the fire. “We had to break glass panels and spray water inside. Smoke had blocked all access. Patients were carried out on their beds and moved to the roadside for treatment,” the officer said. Relatives Protest, Government Orders High-Level Probe The tragedy has sparked outrage among victims’ families and locals, many of whom staged protests outside the hospital and demanded strict action against those responsible. Protestors alleged gross negligence on part of the hospital authorities. One protestor told ANI, “The hospital staff was informed about the short circuit, but they did not act. If they had listened, people wouldn’t have died.” In response, the Rajasthan government has constituted a six-member committee to probe the incident. The committee will be headed by Iqbal Khan, Commissioner of the Medical Department. Other members include senior engineers and fire officers from the PWD, Jaipur Municipal Corporation, and SMS Medical College. A Wake-Up Call for Hospital Safety This tragic fire at Jaipur’s SMS Hospital is a grim reminder of the urgent need for fire safety protocols in healthcare facilities. Hospitals, especially critical care units like ICUs, must be equipped with functioning fire-fighting systems, regular electrical inspections, and trained emergency response staff. As families continue to grieve their irreplaceable loss, the city—and the country—waits for accountability, answers, and above all, change.

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