Jaipur, October 6: A massive fire at Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital on Sunday evening claimed seven lives, sparking outrage among families of the victims who have alleged gross negligence and lack of fire safety equipment at the hospital.
Following the tragedy, the Rajasthan government has set up a six-member investigation committee to probe the cause of the fire and examine lapses in hospital safety protocols.
Families Allege Lack of Safety Protocols
Eyewitnesses and relatives of the deceased patients have accused the hospital administration of failing to respond in time and ignoring prior warnings.
“When there was a spark, there was a cylinder beside it. The smoke spread throughout the ICU, causing everyone to panic. Some managed to rescue their patients, but mine was left inside. They even shut the gates,” said Puran Singh, a relative of one victim.
Another attendant, Narendra Singh, claimed there were no fire safety arrangements at all.
“There wasn’t even any equipment to douse the fire. My mother was admitted there — no one came to help,” he said.
Protests Outside Hospital After the Tragedy
Soon after the incident, angry relatives and locals gathered outside SMS Hospital, staging protests against both the hospital management and the State government.
They accused the hospital staff of negligence, alleging that warnings about a short circuit in the ICU were ignored.
“The staff was informed about the short circuit, but they didn’t act. This negligence cost lives,” a protestor told ANI.
The protestors demanded strict action against the officials responsible and better fire safety standards in government hospitals.
Rajasthan Govt Forms Probe Panel
In response, the Rajasthan government has formed a six-member inquiry committee, chaired by Iqbal Khan, Commissioner of the Medical Department.
Other members include:
- Mukesh Kumar Meena, Additional Director, Hospital Administration (RajMES)
- Chandan Singh Meena, Chief Engineer, RajMES
- Ajay Mathur, Chief Engineer (Electrical), PWD
- R.K. Jain, Additional Principal, SMS Medical College
- Chief Fire Officer, Jaipur Municipal Corporation
The committee will investigate the cause of the fire, assess the safety infrastructure, and recommend measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
What Happened Inside the ICU
At the time of the fire, 11 patients were in the affected ICU and 13 others in an adjacent ward. By the time fire crews arrived, the ward was filled with thick smoke, blocking all exits.
“We had to break the windowpanes from the opposite side and spray water jets inside,” said a Fire Department official.
It took nearly one and a half hours to control the blaze. Several patients were evacuated along with their beds and temporarily moved to the roadside before being shifted to other wards.
Call for Accountability and Safety Reforms
The Jaipur hospital fire has once again raised questions about fire safety preparedness in India’s public hospitals. Experts have long warned that aging infrastructure, poor maintenance, and lack of staff training make hospitals especially vulnerable to such disasters.
As the probe committee begins its investigation, families of victims demand that responsible officials face legal action, and that hospitals across the state immediately conduct fire safety audits to prevent another tragedy.
