Jaipur: A year after a fire in the trauma centre ICU at SMS Hospital killed eight patients, the critical-care unit remains shut, cutting intensive-care capacity at one of Rajasthan’s busiest govt hospitals and forcing emergency patients into other ICUs or temporary arrangements.The fire broke out on Oct 6, 2025, in the trauma centre ICU, after which the unit was closed. At the time, the hospital administration had claimed it would be rebuilt in a month. Even in Oct 2026, however, the ICU is still not functional.
File photo of fire at SMS Trauma Center in Jaipur
So far, only civil and electrical work has been taken up, and officials admit that even this remains incomplete.“The civil and electrical work would be completed by the end of October,” said Dr Rajendra Mandiya, in-charge of the trauma centre at SMS Medical College.The delay has hit patient services at a hospital that handles a heavy daily load of trauma and emergency cases. With the trauma ICU out of service, critically ill patients who should have been managed in the dedicated unit are being shifted to other ICUs or treated through stopgap arrangements.
File Photo of Fire at SMS Trauma Center in Jaipur
Hospital sources said the state govt has not provided dedicated funds for the full renovation and restoration of the ICU. SMS Medical College is relying on donors to arrange the equipment, beds and critical-care infrastructure required to restart the facility.“We have arranged more than Rs 11.5 crore and are in the process of getting more for the equipment, ventilators, beds and other devices needed for the ICU. Soon, the ICU will be opened for the patients,” said Dr Deepak Maheshwari, principal and controller of SMS Medical College.Officials said work is under way, but no firm reopening date has been announced. Even if civil and electrical work is completed by the end of October, the ICU cannot function until beds, monitors, ventilators and other essential equipment are installed.The two burnt ICUs on the second floor, where the fire occurred, are being renovated under a new layout and merged into a single 16-bed ICU. Before the fire, the trauma centre had 24 ICU beds. Officials said the reduction to 16 beds is in line with central guidelines.A Ministry of Health and Family Welfare report has classified the 2025 SMS Hospital fire as one of India’s 14 most severe hospital fire incidents since 2016, pointing to wider concerns over electrical safety, compliance and emergency preparedness in healthcare facilities. In the SMS incident, eight people died — six in the ICU that caught fire and two in the adjacent ICU as they were being shifted to safer places. The primary cause was identified as short circuits.Deadly InfernoMinistry of Health and Family Welfare report classified 2025 SMS Hospital fire as one of India’s 14 most severe hospital fire incidents since 2016SMS Medical College said ICU will be developed within 30 days of fireRedevelopment delayed allegedly due to fund crisisCollege has sought CSR funds to procure ICU equipment and devicesPatients suffer as they are shifted to other ICUs or treated through stopgap arrangements
