Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 6 (ANI): A fire triggered by a short circuit broke out in the Trauma ICU of the SMS Hospital Trauma Centre in Jaipur on Monday, rapidly spreading and releasing toxic gases, according to Trauma Centre In-charge Anurag Dhakad.
The incident occurred on the second floor, where the trauma centre houses two ICUs—a Trauma ICU with 11 patients and a semi-ICU with 13 patients.
A short circuit sparked a fire in the Trauma ICU of SMS Hospital Trauma Centre, killing six critical patients—two women and four men—despite CPR efforts, while five remain critical, said Trauma Centre In-charge Anurag Dhakad.
Most patients in the Trauma ICU were comatose, heightening the urgency of the situation. The trauma centre team, along with nursing officers and ward boys, swiftly evacuated the patients using trolleys and relocated them to a safer area within the hospital.
SMS Hospital Trauma Centre In-charge Anurag Dhakad said, “Our trauma centre has two ICUs on the second floor: a trauma ICU and a semi-ICU. We had 24 patients there; 11 in the trauma ICU and 13 in the semi-ICU. A short circuit occurred in the trauma ICU, and the fire spread rapidly, releasing toxic gases. Most of the critical patients were comatose. Our trauma centre team, our nursing officers, and ward boys immediately rescued them on trolleys and brought as many patients as we could out of the ICU and shifted them to another location.”
He further said, “Six of those patients were very critical; we tried very hard to revive them with CPR, but they couldn’t be saved. Five patients are still critical. Of the deceased patients, two were women and four were men. There were 24 that we evacuated: 11 in the trauma ICU and 13 in the adjacent ICU.”
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital following a significant fire outbreak in one of its Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
The incident, attributed to a short circuit, has resulted in the unfortunate loss of six lives, as confirmed by SMS Hospital Trauma Centre In-charge Anurag Dhakad. (ANI)
Jaipur hospital fire: Kin slam staff for negligence, lack of safety measures resulting in ICU blaze
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 6 (ANI): A short circuit triggered a devastating fire in the Trauma ICU of SMS Hospital Trauma Centre late on Sunday night, leading to chaos and loss of life.Relatives of patients admitted to the ICU recounted harrowing experiences as smoke engulfed the ward, exposing critical lapses in safety measures.
Puran Singh, a relative of a patient, said, “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.”
Narendra Singh, another relative, was initially unaware of the fire. “There was a fire in the ICU, and I didn’t even know. I had come downstairs to have dinner at the time. There wasn’t even any equipment to douse the fire–no facilities were available. My mother was admitted there,” he said.
Om Prakash, whose 25-year-old maternal aunt’s son was admitted, recounted the tragedy: “Smoke started spreading around 11:20 PM, and I warned the doctors that it could cause discomfort to patients. By the time the smoke intensified, the doctors and compounders had already fled. Only 4 to 5 patients were evacuated. Tragically, my maternal aunt’s son lost his life due to the incident. He was about to recover and was scheduled to be discharged in two-three days.”
Jogendra Singh, another relative, expressed frustration over the staff’s negligence. “My mother was admitted to the ICU. When the spark occurred, I alerted the doctors four to five times that it was coming from there, but they dismissed it as normal. Suddenly, smoke engulfed the area, and all the staff ran out, leaving no one to help or save my mother. I was outside when I asked the police, and they said everyone had been evacuated. However, my mother and brother were still trapped inside the hospital. Somehow, I managed to rescue my brother, but he is now in critical condition,” he said.
Ranjit Singh Rathore, whose brother was admitted, received a distressing call at 11:30 PM. “I had just arrived this evening. I rushed to the hospital, but initially, they wouldn’t let me inside. After some time, I managed to enter. When I went in, I found my brother dead,” he said.Meanwhile, late at night, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital following the fire outbreak in one of its Intensive Care Units. (ANI)
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