“We Watched Helplessly”: Grieving Families Recall Horror of Jaipur Hospital Fire That Claimed ICU Patients’ Lives

Grief and Anger Outside Jaipur’s SMS Hospital

The smell of burnt plastic and chemicals still lingered across the Jaipur Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital campus on Monday morning, hours after a devastating fire ripped through the Intensive Care Unit, killing several patients. Outside the mortuary, distraught families waited in silence, clutching medical files and death certificates, as they prepared to take home the remains of their loved ones.

Witnesses described scenes of panic and horror as thick smoke engulfed the ICU late Sunday night. Sheru, a resident of Bharatpur, said his mother Rukmani Kaur (45) had been recovering well when disaster struck. “Around 11:20 p.m., I saw smoke seeping from the ceiling and alerted a nurse. She brushed it off, saying a machine must have overheated,” he recalled. “Within 20 minutes, we couldn’t see or breathe. I tried to reach my mother, but it was impossible. She was supposed to be discharged in two days — now she’s gone. Who will take responsibility?”

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“We Were Waiting to Take Him Home”

For Vikram Gurjar, the tragedy was equally devastating. His brother Pintu Gurjar (35) had nearly recovered from an accident. “Doctors told us he’d be released the next day. Instead, we are taking his body home,” he said, staring at the corridor leading to the burnt ICU.

Narendra Kumar, whose mother Khushma (45) perished in the blaze, said the hospital’s emergency response was chaotic and delayed. “When my father called around 11:45 p.m., I rushed to the trauma centre. People were running in panic — pushing ICU beds with patients still attached to IV drips. The fire was too intense for anyone to go back inside,” he said.

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“A Systemic Failure”

For Om Prakash, whose son was admitted for a head injury, the night’s events revealed a much deeper problem. “Staff were pushing and shoving patients onto the road. No one seemed to know what to do. This wasn’t just negligence — it was a systemic failure,” he said.

Several families alleged that hospital staff ignored early warnings about the smell of smoke and electrical sparks, delaying evacuation until it was too late. Eyewitnesses said smoke alarms failed to activate, and fire extinguishers were not easily accessible.

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Investigation Underway

Authorities have launched a probe into possible lapses in safety measures and maintenance at the ICU. A team from the Rajasthan Fire Safety Department is examining whether faulty wiring or overheated equipment caused the blaze. The state health department has also ordered an internal review of emergency preparedness at SMS Hospital — one of the largest government hospitals in northern India.

While officials have promised strict action, grieving families say accountability must go beyond procedural blame. “Our people didn’t die because of fate,” said Sheru. “They died because nobody listened in time.”