Police will determine root 'cause' of Jaipur hospital fire, says Rajasthan DGP

According to the press note by the SMS Hospital, on the night of October 5, at around 11:20 pm, a fire broke out in Neurosurgery ICU 1 of Trauma and Orthopaedic Institute due to an "electric short circuit", due to which the "entire ICU was filled with smoke".

Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar Sharma said on Monday that the police will determine the find "root cause" of the fire incident at Sawai Man Singh Hospital iospital in Jaipur on late Sunday night in which six people lost their lives

Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar Sharma told reporters "...We have asked the Jaipur Police Commissioner to find the root cause of the incident. We will also take the help of Forensic science laboratory (FSL) and the fire department teams. We will also examine the preventive measures that can be taken to ensure such incidents don't occur in the future..."

Earlier today, the office of the Medical Superintendent of the SMS Hospital, Jaipur, confirmed that the fire at the Neurosurgery ICU of Trauma and Orthopaedic Institute, which claimed six lives, was caused by a short circuit.

According to the press note by the SMS Hospital, on the night of October 5, at around 11:20 pm, a fire broke out in Neurosurgery ICU 1 of Trauma and Orthopaedic Institute due to an "electric short circuit", due to which the "entire ICU was filled with smoke".

Eleven patients were admitted to Neurosurgery ICU 1 of the Trauma Centre, who were immediately shifted to other ICUs of the Trauma Centre. "Six patients died in this tragedy," it said.

The total number of beds in the Trauma and Orthopaedic Institute is 284, of which there are 46 beds in four ICUs and six general wards, where around 250 patients are admitted. "All the beds in the ICUs of the Trauma Centre are usually occupied. There are also eight operating rooms, in which 40 to 50 operations are conducted daily," it noted.

According to the hospital administration, the fire in ICU 1 was immediately controlled by the fire brigade, hospital staff, civil security and police administration and the fire was prevented from spreading to other wards and ICUs.