Jaipur's SMS hospital fire kills 7 ICU patients, several still critical; PM Modi, Amit Shah express grief

At least seven patients died after a massive fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital late Sunday night. Hospital officials said four-five other patients remain in critical condition.

Late at night, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the hospital following the incident in one of its ICUs.

PM Narendra Modi on Monday expressed condolences on the demise of six people. "The loss of lives due to a fire tragedy at a hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan, is deeply saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon."

What led to Jaipur SMS Hospital fire?

Preliminary reports suggest a short circuit triggered the blaze, which spread rapidly through the intensive care unit, causing panic among staff and patients. Firefighters and hospital personnel managed to evacuate several patients as rescue operations continued late into the night.

The SMS Hospital said that the blaze originated from a suspected short circuit in the trauma ICU on the hospital’s second floor. The fire spread rapidly, producing dense toxic fumes that filled the ward within minutes. At the time, 24 patients were admitted, out of which, 11 were in the trauma ICU and 13 in the adjacent semi-ICU.

“Most of the patients were comatose and unable to move. Our trauma centre team, including nursing officers and ward staff, immediately began evacuation using trolleys,” Dr Dhakad of the SMS Hospital said.

“We managed to shift as many patients as possible to safety, but seven critically ill patients could not be revived despite CPR and all resuscitation efforts.”

Relatives of patients recount harrowing experiences

Puran Singh, a relative of a patient, was quoted by ANI, "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."

Narendra Singh, another relative, was initially unaware of the fire, as reported by ANI. "There was a fire in the ICU, and I didn't even know. I had come downstairs to have dinner at the time. There wasn't even any equipment to douse the fire--no facilities were available. My mother was admitted there," he said.

Om Prakash, whose 25-year-old maternal aunt's son was admitted, recounted the tragedy: "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 4 to 5 patients were evacuated. Tragically, my maternal aunt's son lost his life due to the incident. He was about to recover and was scheduled to be discharged in two-three days."

The Rajasthan government has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident to determine the cause of the short circuit and assess any lapses in safety or electrical maintenance.

Sending condolences to the victim’s family, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said, “The fire in the ICU of the trauma centre at SMS Hospital, resulting in the death of 7 people, is extremely heartbreaking. I pray to God that there is minimal loss of life in this accident. May the Lord grant place to the departed souls at his divine feet and swiftly restore the health of the injured.”

"The incident of a fire breaking out at Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur is tragic. The local administration is taking every possible step for the safety of patients, their treatment, and the care of those affected. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their lives in this accident. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on X in Hindi.