Jaipur, January 13, 2026: A water pipeline leakage at the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur caused flooding in the Trauma Centre’s Polytrauma ICU, prompting hospital authorities to urgently relocate 14 critically ill patients to safer wards within the facility on Monday night.
The incident occurred late Monday, when an old water pipe buried near the ICU area reportedly developed a crack, sending water flooding the intensive care unit. The leakage led to nearly six inches of water accumulating on the ICU floor, raising significant safety concerns given the presence of sensitive medical equipment and electrical installations.
Emergency Patient Evacuation
According to hospital officials, all 14 patients were shifted out of the affected ICU as a precautionary measure. Of these, 10 patients were on ventilator support at the time of the flood, highlighting the urgency and risk involved in the operation.
Hospital administrators said the transfer was carried out smoothly to ensure continuous care, with patients moved to other ICU beds and wards elsewhere in the hospital.
Cause and Response
Trauma Centre in-charge Dr. B. L. Yadav explained that the leakage likely stemmed from old and corroded pipelines left buried during earlier construction work where rooms and toilets once stood before the ICU was built. The damaged pipelines have since been repaired, officials said.
Emergency teams also worked to drain the water from the ICU and secure electrical systems to eliminate the risk of shock or equipment failure.
No Casualties Reported
While the event caused significant disruption, authorities confirmed that no deaths or serious injuries have been reported in connection with the flooding. Hospital staff and administration worked quickly to prevent further complications.
Infrastructure Concerns Highlighted
The incident has sparked renewed concerns about infrastructure maintenance at critical healthcare facilities. According to local reports, hospital staff had previously alerted the Public Works Department (PWD) to pipeline issues near the ICU, but timely repairs were not made before the leakage occurred.
The SMS Hospital, one of Rajasthan’s largest public hospitals, serves thousands of patients annually and is a key facility for emergency care and specialised treatments across the state.
Authorities have said the ICU will be cleaned, fumigated and made operational again soon after safety checks are completed.