October 6, 2025

A tragic fire late Sunday night shook Jaipur's famous Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital. The blaze broke out in the trauma centre's Neuro ICU while 11 critical patients were undergoing treatment. Sadly, six of them, including two women and four men, passed away. The fire started around the storage area, likely because of a short circuit, officials said. Dr. Anurag Dhakad, the trauma centre in-charge, told reporters, "Six of them, two women and four men, died in the incident." Patients who lost their lives included Pintu from Sikar, Dilip and Bahadur from Jaipur, and Shrinath, Rukmini, and Khurma from Bharatpur. Another 14 patients from a different ICU were safely moved to secure places. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow on X in Hindi: “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.” Despite some reports claiming eight deaths, hospital officials stuck to the number six. The sudden fire caused chaos as thick, choking smoke rapidly spread. Panic spread among patients and their families. Critical medical equipment, documents, and supplies were destroyed amid the chaos. Hospital workers and attendants bravely rushed to evacuate patients. Some even wheeled out their beds on the spot to get them away from danger. Vikas, a ward boy at the trauma centre, recalled their desperate rescue attempts: "We were inside the operating theatre when we heard about the fire, so we immediately rushed to rescue the people inside the centre. We managed to save at least three to four patients. However, as the flames intensified, we could no longer go into the building. We did our best to rescue as many as we could." He added the police arrived later but couldn't enter immediately due to thick smoke. Firefighters fought hard and controlled the fire in about two hours, even breaking windows to get inside the smoke-filled ward. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel and Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham visited the hospital soon after. Relatives of patients expressed anger and grief, accusing hospital staff of ignoring early fire warnings and abandoning the place without helping. One attendant said, "We noticed smoke and immediately informed the staff, but they did not pay any heed. When the fire broke out, they were the first to run. Now, we cannot get any information about our patients. We want to know their condition, but no one is telling us." The Chief Minister called the incident extremely unfortunate and promised urgent relief and safety measures. "I visited the hospital and received information from doctors and officials. We are ensuring the safety of patients, treatment, and care for the affected individuals. The situation is being continuously monitored," he posted on X. The Rajasthan government has quickly formed a high-level committee headed by Medical Education Department commissioner Iqbal Khan. This group will investigate how the fire started, the hospital’s readiness, the emergency response, and ways to stop such disasters in the future. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called the tragedy heartbreaking and urged a thorough probe. Opposition leader Tikaram Jully expressed grief, saying eight died in the fire. AICC general secretary and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot visited the hospital and lamented, "This disaster has undoubtedly been caused due to negligence in one of the state’s most renowned hospitals." He demanded accountability and quick action. This horrific blaze has shocked Jaipur and the entire nation, reminding us how vital strict safety in hospitals truly is. The hunt to learn causes and save lives in future continues urgently.

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Tags: Sms hospital fire, Jaipur tragedy, Hospital fire deaths, Trauma centre fire, Rajasthan hospital incident,