At least six patients lost their lives after a fire broke out in the trauma centre of Sawai Man Singh Hospital, the largest government-run medical facility in Jaipur, officials confirmed on Monday.
The blaze, which is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, began in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) and quickly spread to an adjacent ward, releasing toxic fumes, hospital official Anurag Dhakad told ANI news agency.
“Five patients remain in critical condition,” Dhakad said, adding that 13 others were safely evacuated from the affected wards.
The hospital, a major referral centre in Rajasthan, serves patients from across the state.
Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph said a forensic science team is investigating the cause of the fire.
The Rajasthan state government has also formed a committee to examine the incident.
According to ANI, the probe will assess the hospital’s response to the emergency, evaluate its firefighting infrastructure, and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
India has experienced several deadly hospital fires in recent years, many linked to electrical faults.
In November, ten newborns died in a blaze at a neonatal ICU in Uttar Pradesh.
A similar tragedy occurred in May, when six infants perished in a fire at a baby care facility in New Delhi.
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