10 patients killed after massive fire at trauma care unit in Odisha hospital

The fire is believed to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit that started at around 2.59 am on the first floor of the trauma care building.

Ten trauma patients were killed and 16 injured, including five patients,on Monday after a fire broke out in the trauma care intensive care unit (ICU) of the Odisha government-run SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi has subsequently announced a judicial probe into the matter.

Relatives of fire victims gather outside the trauma care centre at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. (AFP)

According to officials familiar with the matter, the fire is believed to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit that started at around 2.59 am on the first floor of the trauma care building, where critically ill patients were undergoing treatment, many on ventilator and oxygen support.

“A total of 23 patients were admitted to the ICU. Seven of them died inside the ward before rescue operations could reach them, while three others died later during treatment,” chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi told reporters after visiting the hospital. He subsequently declared an ex gratia payment of ₹25 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the next of kin of each of the deceased.

Ordering a judicial probe into the tragedy, Majhi said: “I have directed the Fire Service DG to personally visit SCB Medical College and Hospital and ensure fire compliance.” An official said that around 11 hospital staff members sustained burn injuries while rescuing patients to safety, and five patients and two hospital workers rescued from the ICU remain under observation.

Condoling the deaths, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF and ₹50,000 for the injured. President Droupadi Murmu, vice-president C P Radhakrishnan and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also expressed deep distress.

According to police commissioner Devdutt Singh, the hospital has an in-house fire unit that responded immediately after the blaze was detected. Firefighters deployed at least three fire tenders and more than 30 personnel to contain the flames. Officials said it took a couple of hours to douse the fire. A senior fire service official, who was present on the spot, said rescue efforts were complicated by thick smoke inside the ICU and the fragile condition of the patients, many of whom were dependent on advanced life-support systems.

DG (fire services) Sudhansu Sarangi said fire safety audit was conducted more than a year ago and several measures were suggested to the hospital. “As the building was constructed several decades ago, we had suggested making it fire-safety compliant. Meanwhile, the department was supposed to be shifted to a new building from June this year that has already been constructed.”