At least 11 patients were killed after a fire broke out in the trauma care Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Cuttack's SCB Medical College and Hospital, one of Odisha’s largest government hospitals, on Monday morning.
The blaze erupted on the first floor of the unit, where 23 patients were receiving treatment. The fire was reported at about 3am, and the firefighters responded to the situation immediately.
Earlier, the toll stood at ten, when officials said that five others were in critical condition. Later, one among those succumbed to their injuries, taking the total toll to 11. They added that a short circuit may have caused the fire.
Hospital staff and emergency responders evacuated patients from the affected ward to other units even as fire tenders brought the flames under control.
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who rushed to the hospital, ordered a judicial probe into the fire and announced a ₹25 lakh compensation for the kin of the patients killed in the blaze.
Police Commissioner of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, S Dev Datta Singh said seven patients died during shifting, and the remaining three died soon after. There were no children among the casualties.
The medical college has a dedicated fire service unit, which responded after the incident. Fire personnel from the Cuttack Fire Station were also alerted and rushed to the spot to assist in firefighting and rescue operations. At least three fire tenders and over 30 personnel were pressed into service.
