Jaipur, Rajasthan – A tragic fire at the intensive‑care unit of SMS Hospital in Jaipur claimed seven lives on the night of Sunday. Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot called for a top‑level probe into the incident.
The fire broke out in the trauma centre’s ICU, where several patients were being treated. Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph confirmed six deaths, and as of Monday the bodies had been moved to the hospital mortuary for post‑mortems.
Preliminary reports suggest a short circuit sparked the blaze, but the forensic and fire‑scene labs are still investigating the exact cause. “The FSL team will determine the root cause,” Joseph said. He added that the remaining patients had been relocated to another ward and were receiving treatment.
Family members of the patients described a chaotic scene. One relative said she was unaware of the fire until smoke filled the ward, noting that the hospital lacked fire‑suppression equipment. Another recounted that the smoke began around 11:20 p.m., but doctors had already left the area, allowing only a few patients to be evacuated. Tragically, the 25‑year‑old son of a patient died in the fire, though he was expected to recover and be discharged soon.
Ashok Gehlot expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and urged the state government to launch a high‑level investigation to prevent similar accidents in the future. “This is heartbreaking,” Gehlot said on X. “We must ensure this never happens again.”
The incident has sparked concern about safety protocols in Jaipur’s hospitals. It remains unclear whether the fire’s cause was merely a short circuit or if additional factors were involved. Updates will follow as investigators complete their work.
Source: aninews
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