10 die in Odisha hospital fire

At least 10 patients were killed after a fire broke out in a Government-run hospital in Odisha on Monday. The fire occurred in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Around 11 hospital staff members suffered burn injuries while rescuing patients to safety, Mohan Charan Majhi, the chief minister of the State said. The fire broke out between 2.30 am and 3 am, early on Monday morning.

The CM, who visited the hospital, has formed a six-member fact-finding team, to investigate the cause of fire. The CM also announced INR 25 lakh ex gratia for the next of kin of each deceased person. The fire probably originated from a short circuit, the CM said.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of patients.  The PM also spoke to Odisha CM over the phone and took stock of the situation.

“The mishap at a hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, is deeply painful. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. An ex gratia of INR 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given INR 50,000,” the Prime Minister’s Office said on social media.

Noting that there were 23 patients at the Trauma Care ICU and an adjacent ICU and ward, the CM said. Seven patients died in the fire, while three others succumbed to burns and suffocation during evacuation, he added.

Officials said the fire erupted at the ICU of the Trauma Care department of the hospital, where critically ill patients were being treated. The fire service officials, along with hospital staff, police and patients’ attendants, rescued the patients undergoing treatment at the ICU and shifted them to other departments of the SCB hospital.

According to an eyewitness, the power supply was cut twice, and then the fire broke out, and the entire ICU was filled with thick smoke. “I called the fire brigade personnel, and they arrived around 20 minutes later. Meanwhile, the relatives and attendants of patients joined hands with the medical staff to rescue the patients,” the eyewitness said.

Another man said he broke the window glass and poured water to douse the fire before any assistance reached the patients and hospital staffers.