A devastating fire in the Trauma Care Intensive Care Unit of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, claimed the lives of ten patients in the early hours of Monday. The blaze reportedly erupted between 2:30 am and 3:00 am while critically ill patients were undergoing treatment in the ICU, triggering panic inside the hospital premises. Emergency response teams, including multiple fire engines, rushed to the site to control the flames and begin rescue operations. The hospital, one of the largest government-run medical institutions in the state, witnessed chaotic scenes as staff, firefighters, police personnel, and patient attendants worked together to evacuate those admitted in the affected ward and move them to safer areas.
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During the emergency evacuation, hospital staff made urgent efforts to shift patients to other wards and intensive care units to prevent further casualties. Officials said that 23 patients were moved to different departments of the hospital as part of the rescue operation. However, seven critically ill patients died while being transferred to other ICUs and wards, while three others later succumbed to their injuries. In the process of rescuing patients, at least eleven members of the hospital staff suffered burn injuries. Firefighters eventually brought the situation under control, but the incident left several people injured and raised serious concerns about safety arrangements in healthcare facilities handling critically ill patients.
Following the incident, Mohan Charan Majhi visited the hospital along with Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling to review the situation and meet patients receiving treatment. The chief minister said preliminary findings suggested that the fire might have been triggered by an electrical fault in the ICU. He instructed officials to ensure proper medical care for the injured and announced financial assistance of ₹25 lakh for the families of each deceased patient. Authorities have also ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident to determine the exact cause of the fire and examine whether any negligence or safety lapses contributed to the tragedy.