A catastrophic fire at the trauma centre of Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, Jaipur’s largest state-run medical facility, claimed six lives late Sunday night, leaving families devastated and raising serious questions about the hospital’s safety protocols. The blaze, which tore through the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), exposed a shocking lack of preparedness, with allegations of locked gates, fleeing staff, and non-functional fire alarms compounding the tragedy.
The scene inside the trauma centre was harrowing: shattered glass, scattered slippers, and a charred ICU painted a grim picture of the night’s horror. According to grieving relatives, hospital staff locked the ICU gate as the fire spread, abandoning patients to their fate. Families were forced to take matters into their own hands, breaking windows and using bedsheets to rescue loved ones trapped inside the smoke-filled ward.
Hari Mohan, a police constable present at the hospital for a test, emerged as an unlikely hero. He told NDTV he smashed a glass window with a fire extinguisher and pulled patients to safety using bedsheets. “There was no one to help. The staff just ran,” he recounted, his voice heavy with disbelief.
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Families allege that the hospital had no evacuation plan in place, leading to utter chaos when the fire broke out. Dashrat Gujar, whose brother Pintu perished in the blaze, said he had warned the hospital administration about a short circuit hours earlier, only to be dismissed. “They told me it would settle down,” Dashrat said. “Minutes later, smoke filled the room, and the staff fled. The fire alarm didn’t ring, and the extinguisher was empty. The fire brigade took an hour to arrive.”
The fire’s human toll is heart-wrenching. Rukmani Kaur, a 55-year-old admitted on September 17 for a brain hemorrhage, was one of the victims. Her sons, Sheru Singh and Joginder Singh, witnessed the initial sparks of a short circuit and alerted staff, but their warnings were ignored. “They said it would settle down,” Joginder told NDTV. As the situation worsened, with melting plaster and thickening smoke, the staff fled, leaving the brothers to fend for themselves. Sheru risked his life, entering the fire-engulfed ICU to save his mother, but his efforts were in vain. His hands, still blackened by smoke, bear testament to his desperate attempt.
Narendra Kumar’s mother, Kushma, admitted on October 1 after a road accident, was on the verge of being discharged. Her family was preparing to welcome her home when the fire struck. Narendra, who had stepped out for dinner, returned to find the ICU in flames and the gate locked. “My father told me, ‘Your mother burnt to death,’” his wife sobbed. Narendra is still searching for his mother’s body, with no clear answers from the hospital.
The hospital’s inadequate fire safety measures have come under intense scrutiny. The trauma centre, a critical facility, had only one fireman and a helper on duty, leaving it woefully understaffed to handle such an emergency. The fire alarm system failed to activate, and sprinklers on the second floor were non-functional. Families also reported that fire extinguishers were either empty or inaccessible, further hampering rescue efforts.
Anurag Dhakad, the Trauma Centre In-Charge, refuted allegations of negligence, claiming that thick smoke and toxic gases made it impossible for staff to enter the ICU. “We used fire extinguishers and called the fire brigade immediately. The electric current was spreading, making it dangerous,” he told NDTV. He added that the trauma centre team and ground staff, including ward boys, worked to rescue patients, but six succumbed to burns and suffocation. Post-mortem examinations are underway to provide clarity on the cause of death, after which the bodies will be released to families.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the hospital late Sunday night, describing the incident as “extremely unfortunate.” He assured a thorough investigation into the fire’s cause and the hospital’s response, but for the affected families, the promises ring hollow. The absence of a functional evacuation plan, coupled with allegations of staff abandoning their posts, has fueled public outrage and demands for accountability.
The SMS Hospital fire is not just a tragedy but a stark reminder of systemic failures in one of India’s premier medical institutions. As investigations continue, the families of the victims are left grappling with unimaginable loss, their trust in the healthcare system shattered.
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