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Tragedy struck late Sunday night in Jaipur, western India, when a fire erupted in a hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU), resulting in the deaths of six critically ill patients.
The blaze, believed to have been triggered by a short circuit, started in a storage area of the ICU at the state-run Sawai Man Singh Hospital, where 11 patients were receiving treatment. The victims included two women and four men.
Relatives accused hospital staff of negligence, claiming they ignored warnings about smoke and failed to provide emergency equipment.
However, hospital officials dismissed the allegations, insisting that staff risked their lives to evacuate patients.
The fire, which began shortly before midnight, spread quickly through the trauma centre, prompting the evacuation of 14 patients from a nearby ward as smoke engulfed the area.
Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly two hours before bringing it under control.
Rajasthan’s Chief Minister, Bhajanlal Sharma, announced an investigation into the incident and assured that all possible steps were being taken to ensure patient safety and care.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and wished the injured a swift recovery.
Hospital fires are a recurring tragedy in India.
In November 2024, a blaze at a state-run hospital in Jhansi killed at least 10 newborns. Investigations have repeatedly revealed safety failures, poor oversight, and inadequate fire prevention systems.
