PM Modi expresses grief
JAIPUR: Seven people lost their lives in a fire allegedly caused by a short circuit at the trauma centre of Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur on Sunday night. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to express sorrow over the tragic incident.
“The loss of lives due to a fire tragedy at a hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan, is deeply saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” the Prime Minister’s Office said on X.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma described the incident as “extremely unfortunate.” He said that upon reaching the hospital, he gathered details from doctors and officials and directed them to ensure prompt relief measures.
“All possible steps are being taken to ensure patient safety, treatment, and care for those affected. The situation is being continuously monitored. May Lord Shri Ram grant peace to the departed souls. The state government stands firmly with the affected families and is committed to providing all possible assistance,” Sharma said on X.
Relatives of patients protested against the Bhajanlal Sharma-led government and the hospital administration over the alleged negligence.
In response to the tragedy, the Rajasthan government formed a six-member committee to investigate the incident.
The Police Commissioner said the forensic team is probing the cause of the fire. “Our FSL team’s investigation will reveal the cause of the fire. At first glance, it appears to be a short circuit, but the final cause will only be determined after the FSL investigation,” ANI quoted the Police Commissioner as saying.
Vikas, a ward boy who witnessed the incident, said that he and other hospital staff rushed to rescue patients as soon as they learned about the fire. They managed to save three to four people before the flames grew uncontrollable. He added that although police arrived soon after, they were unable to enter the ward due to the thick smoke. Firefighters eventually had to break a window to start extinguishing the blaze, as the entire ward was engulfed in smoke, according to a news agency report.
Protesters alleged that warnings about a short circuit in the ICU went unheeded by staff, leading to the catastrophic incident. “We informed the hospital about the electrical issue, but no action was taken. Now, families are mourning because of their negligence,” a protester told the agency.
Survivors and relatives recounted harrowing scenes of the ward filling with smoke as safety measures failed during the crisis. Puran Singh, a relative of one of the patients, described the chaos that unfolded when the smoke spread rapidly, forcing some people to flee while others were left behind in panic and despair.
Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Rajasthan government on Monday and demanded a judicial inquiry into the Jaipur hospital fire, which claimed the lives of at least 6 people.
According to the press note by the SMS Hospital, at around 11:20 pm, a fire broke out in Neurosurgery ICU 1 of Trauma and Orthopaedic Institute due to an electric short circuit, due to which the entire ICU was filled with smoke.
Agencies