"He Was About To Be Discharged": Family Of Jaipur Hospital Fire Victim

Narendra Singh was having dinner when a massive fire broke out in the trauma centre of the state-run Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur. By the time he learnt about the incident, his mother, admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), was dead.

"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 told news agency ANI.

#WATCH | SMS Hospital fire, Jaipur | "... The ICU caught fire. There was no equipment to extinguish it. There were no cylinders or even water to douse the fire. There were no facilities. My mother passed away...," says a person who lost a family member in the fire at Jaipur's… pic.twitter.com/BCV2Sa9jMT

— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2025

Eight patients have died in a fire at Rajasthan's largest government hospital, Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur. A short circuit is said to be the cause of the fire, which engulfed the ICU where 11 patients were being treated. Thirteen patients were admitted to the adjacent semi-ICU. Patients had to be rushed out and many sat on the road while rescue operations were on.

The families of the victims have alleged hospital negligence and a lack of resources and timely action to extinguish the fire and save patients.

"When there was a spark, there was a cylinder beside it. The smoke spread throughout the ICU, causing everyone to flee in panic," Puran Singh, a relative of one of the patients, told ANI. "Some managed to rescue their own patients, but mine was left alone in the room. As the gas spread further, they shut the gates," he added.

Om Prakash's 25-year-old cousin, his maternal aunt's son, who was admitted to the ICU, is one of the victims of the fire. When smoke started spreading around 11:20 pm, according to Prakash, he warned the doctors of the possible discomfort to patients.

"By the time the smoke intensified, the doctors and compounders had already fled. Only four to five 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 to three days," Prakash told ANI.

#WATCH | SMS Hospital fire, Jaipur | "... It was my aunt's son. He was 25 years old and named Pintu... When smoke came out at 11.20 pm, we had informed the doctors that the patients might have problems. Then gradually the smoke increased. As the smoke increased, the doctors and… pic.twitter.com/sR3OuQ79Ku

— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2025

Jogendra Singh, who lost his mother in the tragic fire, expressed frustration over the hospital staff's negligence. Singh also claims to have "alerted the doctors four to five times" but it was "dismissed 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 a critical condition," Singh told ANI.

Ranjit Singh Rathore, whose brother was admitted, received a call at 11:30 pm. "I had just arrived this evening. I rushed to the hospital, but initially, they wouldn't let me in. After some time, I managed to enter. When I went in, I found my brother dead," he said.

A family had come from Agra after their patient suffered a head injury in an accident. "My sister, Sarvesh, underwent surgery and was unconscious when the fire broke out."

"Nobody heard us," said Ramakant, adding, "My aunt, Sarvesh, suffocated to death."  

Anurag Dhakad, Trauma Centre In-Charge, SMS Hospital, has refuted all claims. Speaking to NDTV, Dhakad said that the smoke and toxic gases spread quickly, making it difficult for them to enter the trauma centre and rescue patients. However, the trauma centre team and the ground staff, including ward boys, all worked towards rescuing patients, he added.

"We used a fire extinguisher and called the fire brigade. The electric current was also spreading. Eight of the patients died of burns and suffocation. We will have more clarity following a post-mortem."

The bodies will be handed over to patients' families after post-mortem examinations.

Rajasthan's Chief Minister, Bhajanlal Sharma, visited the hospital late at night to take stock of the situation. He called the incident "extremely unfortunate". 

जयपुर के सवाई मानसिंह अस्पताल के ट्रॉमा सेंटर में आग लगने की घटना अत्यंत दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है।

अस्पताल पहुंचकर चिकित्सकों एवं अधिकारियों से जानकारी ली और त्वरित राहत कार्य सुनिश्चित करने के निर्देश दिए। मरीजों की सुरक्षा, इलाज और प्रभावित लोगों की देखभाल के लिए हर संभव कदम उठाए जा…

— Bhajanlal Sharma (@BhajanlalBjp) October 6, 2025

"Upon reaching the hospital, I gathered information from the doctors and officials and issued instructions to ensure swift relief efforts. Every possible step is being taken for the safety of patients, their treatment, and the care of those affected, and the situation is being continuously monitored," Sharma said in a social media post.