Jaipur: The forensics science lab (FSL) team submitted its findings Thursday on the Oct 5 fire at the neurosurgery ICU of SMS Medical College’s Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics. An official stated that the report indicated the blaze was triggered by an electrical short circuit, producing toxic fumes that spread rapidly through the false ceiling cavity and engulfed adjoining areas.An official said the report indicates that the short circuit originated near the ICU storeroom, where cotton rolls and medical chemicals were kept. The report notes that combustible materials in the vicinity acted as fuel sources, causing fumes to intensify and become toxic. The fumes then propagated laterally through the false ceiling. One expert mentioned that such ceilings usually contain materials like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and fiberboard components, although it is not specified if the false ceiling at the ICU was made of these same materials or different ones.While the report confirms the electrical short circuit as the primary ignition source, investigators have not pinpointed the precise cause of the fault. “There could be a combination of factors—moisture ingress, voltage fluctuation, ageing cables, or insulation degradation,” an expert said.
Fire caused by short circuit, spread rapidly through ICU’s false ceiling | Jaipur News
