JAIPUR: Eight patients died after a massive fire broke out in the ICU of the trauma centre at Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital late on Sunday night.
The blaze at SMS, Jaipur’s biggest government hospital, erupted around 11.20 pm in the ICU of the Trauma Center where eight patients died, including three women.
Officials suspect a short circuit caused the terrible tragedy in the ICU ward’s storeroom, where papers, medical equipment, and blood sample tubes were kept. The fire quickly engulfed the entire ward, and smoke spread, causing panic. Besides the eight patients who died in the incident, three are in critical condition.
According to hospital administration, the fire was caused by a short circuit. At the time of the incident, a total of 18 patients were admitted in the ICU and semi-ICU, of which 11 were in the same ward where the fire broke out.
Fire brigade vehicles arrived at the scene, but the fire and toxic smoke hampered rescue operations. Many patients were rescued by breaking windows and doors with the help of family members and hospital staff. Patients were immediately placed on beds on the street and given oxygen and first aid.
After the fire broke out, there was chaos in the hospital. The staff struggled to evacuate critical patients admitted to the ICU. It took one to one and a half hours to control the fire. All patients, along with their beds, were shifted to the street outside.
Dr Anurag Dhakad, nodal officer for the Trauma Center, stated that there were 11 patients in the ICU. Some of them were immediately evacuated. The adjacent ICU had 13 patients. Six patients were trapped inside as the fire spread.
Serious questions have been raised about the hospital's security arrangements following the incident. People say the fire alarm system did not function properly in the initial minutes after the fire broke out, and there was a delay in shutting off the oxygen line. The staff lacked adequate fire safety equipment, which further accelerated the fire's spread.
Families of the deceased are angry and have staged a sit-in protest outside the SMS Trauma Center. The families protesting on the main road have accused the administration of negligence.On receiving information about the incident, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma arrived at the hospital late at night and took stock of the situation. He directed immediate provision of all resources for the treatment of the injured.
The Chief Minister stated, "This is a very sad and worrying incident. Strict action will be taken against the culprits." He has sought a detailed report from Medical Education Secretary Ambrish Kumar, Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph, Jaipur Collector Jitendra Soni, and SMS Medical College Principal Dr. Deepak Maheshwari.
Given the seriousness of the incident, the Chief Minister has directed the formation of a high-level investigation committee. The committee will investigate whose negligence led to the fire and whether the hospital's firefighting equipment and safety measures were adequate.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has demanded a high-level investigation into the SMS fire from the state government. He wrote on the social media platform X: "The government should ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future."
This tragic incident at Jaipur's largest government hospital has raised grim questions about the preparedness of the administration and the health system. All eyes are now on the investigation report, which will reveal where and at what level the negligence occurred which has claimed eight lives.
Families of several victims have accused hospital staff of ignoring warnings about smoke and fleeing the premises when the blaze erupted, PTI reported.
Attendants of two patients approached Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel and Minister Bedham to voice their complaints about the staff’s alleged negligence.
“We noticed smoke and immediately informed the staff, but they did not pay any attention. When the fire broke out, they were the first to run. Now, we cannot get any information about our patients,” one attendant told PTI.
During Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma’s visit to the hospital, some family members alleged that police pushed them away.
Omprakash, a cousin of one of the victims, Pintu, described the chaos inside the ward. “As soon as the smoke began to rise, we alerted the staff, but no one paid attention. It took more than 20 minutes for the fire to engulf the entire ward. Instead of helping patients, the hospital staff fled,” he told PTI.
He added that it took more than 90 minutes to rescue his brother. “His body was not burnt, but his face was completely blackened from smoke. When we took him outside, there were no doctors,” he said.
Rukmani, the daughter of another victim, recalled the moment the fire broke out. “My mother was recovering well, but then the disaster happened. When the smoke filled the ward, there were 15 to 16 people there, and everyone tried to evacuate their patients,” she told PTI.
Jogendra, a relative of another patient, said visibility was nearly zero due to thick smoke. “No one helped my mother. My elder brother grabbed a torch from the hospital staff, found her, and brought her out. We could not save her… we could do nothing,” he said.
Some attendants outside the trauma building tried to rush in to rescue their relatives but were reportedly pushed back by staff. Meanwhile, staff inside were seen evacuating patients, some wheeling beds out of the building.
(With added inputs from PTI)