Jaipur ICU blaze: Hospital staff ignored early warnings and fled when fire spread, say patients' kin

JAIPUR: Families of the victims who died in the Sawai Man Singh Hospital fire accused the hospital staff of disregarding their warning about smoke and fleeing the premises when the blaze broke out.

The attendants of the patients alleged that the hospital staff ignored early warnings about the blaze and fled as the fire spread.

They also claimed that police pushed them away as they tried to get updates on the condition of their loved ones.

On Monday, family members protested outside the facility and shouted slogans against the Rajasthan govt , as deputy Chief minister Prem Chand Bairwa and minister of state for home Jawahar Singh Bedham visited the hospital.

Attendants of two patients accosted Bedham and parliamentary affairs minister Jogaram Patel to complain about the staff's negligence. "We noticed smoke and immediately informed the staff, but they did not pay any heed. When the fire broke out, they were the first to run. Now, we cannot get any information about our patients. We want to know their condition but no one is telling us," one of the attendants said. During CM Bhajanlal Sharma's visit to the hospital, some of the family members alleged that they were pushed away by the police.

Omprakash, a cousin of one of the victims, Pintu, told reporters about the staff's alleged indifference. "As soon as the smoke began to rise, we alerted the staff but no one paid attention. It was not until 20 minutes later that the fire engulfed the entire ward. Instead of helping patients, the hospital staff fled."

Omprakash said the situation inside was horrific and it took them over 90 minutes to take his brother out."His body was not burnt but face was completely blackened from the smoke. When we took him outside, there were no doctors," he said.