Ten patients lost their lives in a fire at the ICU of a government hospital in Odisha, India
Ten patients have lost their lives following a fire that broke out overnight in the intensive care unit of a government hospital in Odisha, eastern India.
Ten patients have lost their lives following a fire that erupted in the trauma center’s intensive care unit at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, in the eastern Indian state of Odisha.
All the victims were patients undergoing treatment at the hospital, while 11 staff members suffered burn injuries while trying to rescue those trapped inside the facility.
State Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reported that the fire ignited at approximately 02:30 local time on Monday and is believed to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit.
Emergency responders swiftly managed to contain the blaze after fire service personnel hurried to the hospital. Patients from the impacted intensive care unit and nearby wards were relocated to other departments within the hospital.
After visiting the facility, Majhi spoke to reporters about the impact of the fire on both the trauma care ICU and a nearby intensive care unit.
He commended the efforts of the medical staff and security personnel involved in the rescue operations.
“Medical staff and security personnel put their lives on the line during the rescue operation,” he stated, noting that some rescuers sustained injuries and the government had instructed authorities to guarantee they receive adequate medical care.
The state government has declared financial compensation for the families of the deceased, and Majhi has initiated a judicial inquiry into the incident.
Authorities declared that they would impose severe measures on those found responsible for the tragedy.
In India, there have been numerous instances of hospital fires, frequently associated with electrical malfunctions and overloaded systems.
In October of the previous year, a fire in an intensive care unit in Rajasthan resulted in the tragic deaths of six critically ill patients. A distinct fire in 2024 at a neonatal ICU in Jhansi resulted in the tragic loss of at least ten newborn babies.
Previous incidents comprise a 2021 ICU fire at Vijay Vallabh Hospital in Virar, resulting in the deaths of 13 patients receiving treatment for COVID-19, as well as another fire that year at a newborn care unit in Bhandara District, Maharashtra, where ten infants lost their lives.
