Jaipur, Oct 6 (NationPress) A catastrophic fire erupted late Sunday night within the ICU of the Trauma Centre at Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, tragically resulting in the deaths of eight patients, including three women.

The blaze reportedly initiated around 11:20 p.m. in the storeroom of the Neuro ICU ward, where various items including paper, ICU apparatus, and blood sampling tubes were kept.

A short circuit is believed to be the cause, as indicated by the Trauma Centre's nodal officer and senior physician.

At the moment of the incident, there were eleven patients in the Neuro ICU, with thirteen patients in a neighboring ICU.

In response to this tragedy, the government has formed a six-member committee to thoroughly investigate the cause and management of the fire. Fire department personnel, led by Awadhesh Pandey, reported that they arrived on the scene promptly after the alarm was triggered.

“The complete ward was filled with smoke, making it impossible to access. We had to break window panes from the opposite side of the building and spray water inside,” he stated.

It took over an hour to control the flames. Patients were evacuated, moved outside along with their beds. Family members have claimed that early alerts were disregarded.

Sheru, a resident of Bharatpur, recounted, “Smoke started to fill the area nearly 20 minutes before the fire erupted. I notified the staff, but there was no response. By 11:20 p.m., the smoke thickened, plastic tubes melted, and ward staff fled.”

He added that they had to rescue their own patient, who was not relocated to the ground floor until two hours later. “We still have no information about his condition. We are barred from seeing him,” he expressed.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma described the incident as “tragic.” Demonstrating urgency, he arrived at SMS Hospital at 2:30 a.m. to evaluate the situation. He met with medical professionals and high-ranking officials, urging them to provide immediate assistance and ensure optimal care for the affected patients.

The CM stressed that all necessary actions were being taken and that the situation was under constant observation.

Following the incident, the Chief Minister postponed his official engagements in Delhi to remain in Jaipur for oversight of the response efforts.

CM Sharma has mandated a comprehensive investigation and announced the formation of a high-level inquiry committee, led by Iqbal Khan, Commissioner of the Medical Department. Other committee members include Mukesh Kumar Meena – Additional Director, Hospital Administration; Chandan Singh Meena – Chief Engineer, RajMES; Ajay Mathur – Chief Engineer (Electrical), PWD; R.K. Jain – Additional Principal, SMS Medical College and Chief Fire Officer, Jaipur Municipal Corporation.

The state government has promised full support to the families impacted, with the Chief Minister reiterating the administration’s pledge to accountability and safety within healthcare facilities.

Leader of the Opposition, Tika Ram Jully, expressed his shock after being informed by the District Collector.

In a social media message, he wrote: “The news of eight deaths, including three women, in the ICU fire at SMS Hospital Trauma Center is profoundly distressing and heartbreaking. This appalling event has deeply affected us all.”