Fire in Jaipur SMS Hospital, Eight Die: Fireman told entire ward was filled with smoke

A fire broke out late Sunday night in the ICU of the Trauma Center at Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur. Eight patients died in the incident, including three women.

The fire broke out at 11:20 pm in the storeroom of the Neuro ICU ward of the Trauma Center.

The Trauma Center's nodal officer and senior doctor stated that a short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire. At the time of the incident, there were 11 patients in the ICU, and 13 patients in the adjacent ICU.

A six-member committee has been formed at the government level to investigate the fire.

Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph said, "Eight deaths have been confirmed. There were 24 patients admitted in both ICUs. The remaining patients have been shifted to other wards. They are undergoing treatment."

He added, "The bodies of the deceased have been shifted to the mortuary. Once all the formalities are completed, a post-mortem will be conducted.".

Entire ward was filled with smoke

 Fire department employee Awadhesh Pandey said that the team arrived at the scene as soon as the alarm sounded. The entire ward was filled with smoke. There was no way to get inside. 

He said window panes were removed from the other side of the building and water was sprayed. It took one to one and a half hours to control the fire. All the patients, along with their beds, were shifted to the street outside.

A patient's family said, "We informed them 20 minutes in advance, but no one paid attention." 

A relative of a patient said, "Smoke started coming out 20 minutes before the fire broke out. We informed the staff, but no one paid attention. By 11:20 p.m., the smoke began to increase, and plastic tubes began to melt and fall. The ward boys present at the scene fled."

He said, "We ourselves managed to rescue our patient with great difficulty. Two hours after the accident, the patient was shifted to the ground floor. We still don't know his condition. We are not being allowed to meet him."

Relatives of the victims are now protesting, demanding to see the remains of their family members and chanting slogans against the government. The protesters claimed that hospital staff were not present at the time of the fire