Cuttack (Odisha) : A tragic fire inside the trauma care intensive care unit of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack during the early hours of Monday resulted in the death of at least ten patients, sending shockwaves across one of the largest government healthcare institutions in the state. The incident created panic among patients, attendants and hospital staff as thick smoke filled the ICU ward where several critically ill patients were undergoing treatment.
The deceased have been identified as Ramesh Parida, Dasharu Munda, M.D. Nyum, Gauranga Barik, S.K. Abdul Sattar, Madhusudan Dalai, Krushnachandra Biswal, Rabindra Das, Cheru Parida and Menaka Rout. According to initial reports, the fire started on the first floor of the trauma care ICU where 23 patients had been admitted at the time. Authorities suspect that an electrical short circuit may have triggered the blaze, which quickly spread inside the unit and worsened the situation as many patients were dependent on life-support equipment.
After receiving information about the incident, fire service teams rushed to the hospital and began firefighting operations. Medical staff and emergency responders simultaneously started evacuating patients from the affected ward and shifting them to other units of the hospital to ensure their safety and continuation of treatment. Despite the rescue efforts, several patients could not be saved.
Mohan Charan Majhi visited the hospital to review the situation and announced financial assistance for the families of the deceased. The state government declared an ex-gratia payment of Rs25 lakh for each victim’s family and ordered a judicial investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and examine possible lapses in safety arrangements within the hospital.
During the rescue operation, a group of hospital employees reportedly risked their lives to bring patients out of the smoke-filled ICU. Around eleven staff members sustained serious injuries while attempting to rescue those trapped inside the ward.
The incident has again raised serious concerns about fire safety systems in hospitals, particularly in intensive care units where patients depend on uninterrupted electricity supply and sophisticated medical equipment. Experts say regular monitoring of electrical systems, timely maintenance of equipment and effective emergency preparedness are essential to prevent such tragedies in healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous alleged major lapses in the hospital’s fire safety arrangements and demanded a thorough investigation. She described the incident as extremely serious and called for strict action if negligence is found. She also emphasized that fire safety systems in hospitals must be inspected regularly and staff should be properly trained to handle emergencies.
According to reports, the sprinkler system inside the hospital did not activate immediately after the fire broke out, which allegedly slowed down evacuation efforts. Firefighters later managed to control the flames manually using water.
Relatives and attendants present in the hospital claimed that dense smoke spread rapidly across the ICU, severely reducing visibility and making rescue operations difficult. Some attendants said they had to rush out carrying their patients themselves in order to save them.
One relative, Ramesh Chandra Parida, said the fire appeared to have started from an air-conditioning unit inside the ward at around 3 a.m. He alleged that initial response from hospital authorities was slow and that the fire service personnel eventually brought the situation under control. After the incident, bodies of the deceased and other patients were shifted to different wards for identification and further treatment.
The tragedy has intensified calls for urgent review of safety infrastructure in hospitals across Odisha to prevent similar disasters in the future.
