A massive fire tore through the intensive care unit (ICU) of Jaipur&rsquo;s Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital on Sunday evening, claiming at least nine lives and triggering an outpouring of anger from grieving families. The Rajasthan government has ordered a high-level probe into the tragedy, even as relatives of the victims accused hospital authorities of grave negligence and lack of basic fire safety measures.
The inferno broke out around dinner time, reportedly after a short circuit in the ICU triggered a spark near an oxygen cylinder. Within minutes, thick smoke engulfed the ward, sending patients and staff into chaos. &ldquo;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,&rdquo; said Puran Singh, a relative of one of the victims.
Eyewitnesses and family members said the hospital lacked the equipment needed to contain the flames. &ldquo;There was a fire in the ICU, and I didn&rsquo;t even know. I had come downstairs to have dinner at the time. There wasn&rsquo;t even any equipment to douse the fire, no facilities were available. My mother was admitted there,&rdquo; said Narendra Singh, another attendant.
As news of the deaths spread, tensions flared outside the hospital, with relatives staging protests and demanding accountability from the administration. Protesters alleged that warnings about a short circuit had been ignored. &ldquo;The hospital staff was informed about the short circuit, but they did not listen to us. People have lost their loved ones due to negligence. If there was no negligence, people would not have lost their lives,&rdquo; one protester said.
The fire was finally brought under control after nearly an hour and a half of intense firefighting. By the time crews arrived, the ward was filled with smoke, making it impossible to enter. &ldquo;We had to break windowpanes from the opposite side of the building and spray water jets inside,&rdquo; a fire officer said. Patients were evacuated along with their beds and shifted to the roadside.
At the time of the incident, 11 patients were admitted to the affected ICU, and 13 others were being treated in an adjoining ward. Several were rescued, but nine could not make it out alive.
In response to the tragedy, the Rajasthan government has constituted a six-member committee to investigate the incident. The panel, headed by Iqbal Khan, Commissioner of the Medical Department, will examine the cause of the fire, lapses in safety compliance, and response time. The committee includes senior officials from the Public Works Department, the Rajasthan Medical Education Society (RajMES), and the Jaipur Municipal Corporation&rsquo;s fire division.
The tragedy has once again raised questions about fire safety in public hospitals, many of which operate with outdated infrastructure and inadequate emergency systems.

Jaipur Hospital Fire Kills Nine, Sparks Public Outrage

Families allege negligence and lack of fire safety as Rajasthan govt orders probe

Jaipur Hospital Fire Kills Nine, Sparks Public Out

Families allege negligence and lack of fire safety as Rajasthan govt orders probe

October 6, 2025 | 12:49 IST