Tragic Fire at Jaipur's SMS Hospital Claims Eight Lives in ICU

Devastating Fire in ICU

A catastrophic fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, resulting in the tragic deaths of eight patients. Among the deceased were two women and four men. The blaze, attributed to a short circuit, spread rapidly, releasing toxic smoke. At the time of the incident, 24 patients were admitted in the ICU, with 11 located in the trauma ICU.

Immediate Response from Hospital Staff

Dr. Anurag Dhakad, in charge of the trauma center, reported that the fire originated from a short circuit in the trauma ICU, causing a swift spread of flames and toxic gases. He confirmed that there were 11 patients in the trauma ICU where the fire started.

Patient Count in ICU

Dr. Dhakad elaborated, "Our trauma center has two ICUs on the second floor: one trauma ICU and one semi-ICU. We had 24 patients, with 11 in the trauma ICU and 13 in the semi-ICU. The fire broke out in the trauma ICU, leading to the release of poisonous gases."

Most Patients Found Unconscious

An official from the hospital indicated that many of the critically ill patients were found unconscious. The trauma center team, along with nursing officers and ward boys, acted quickly to evacuate patients using stretchers and moved as many as possible to safety. Despite their efforts, six patients remained in critical condition, and attempts to revive them with CPR were unsuccessful.

Chief Minister Visits the Scene

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel and Home State Minister Jawahar Singh, visited the trauma center to assess the situation. Minister Singh stated, "The Chief Minister was informed about the fire caused by a short circuit in the ICU, and he came here personally. This incident is tragic, and some patients lost their lives due to the fire. Our priority was to save as many of the 24 patients as possible, and we are ensuring they receive better treatment to prevent such incidents in the future."

Family Members Share Their Grief

One individual who lost a family member expressed, "There was no equipment to extinguish the fire in the ICU. There were no cylinders or water available to combat the flames. My mother has passed away." Another person shared, "He was my cousin, just 25 years old, named Pintu. When the smoke started at 11:20 PM, we alerted the doctors about the potential danger to the patients. As the smoke increased, the doctors and staff evacuated the area. Eventually, the smoke became so dense that we couldn't rescue the patients. We managed to get four or five patients out, but my cousin was still inside. He was supposed to be discharged in a day or two."