Fire at Odisha Hospital Trauma Centre Kills Ten Patients

(MENAFN) A tragic fire at the trauma centre of a government hospital in Odisha, eastern India, has killed ten patients, while 11 staff members are receiving treatment for burns sustained while trying to rescue those inside, officials said.

The blaze, believed to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit, erupted in the trauma care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack city at around 02:30 local time on Monday (21:00 GMT Sunday).

Hospital fires are not uncommon in India, with many incidents linked to electrical faults. Last October, six critically ill patients died in a similar ICU fire in Rajasthan. In 2024, at least ten newborns were killed in a blaze at a neonatal ICU in northern Jhansi, while in 2021, 13 patients perished in an ICU fire at Vijay Vallabh hospital in Virar, and another 10 infants died in a newborn care unit fire in Bhandara district, Maharashtra.

In the Odisha incident, firefighters brought the blaze under control, and patients were relocated to other departments within the hospital. SCB Medical College and Hospital is among the largest government-run medical facilities in the state.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the site, state Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the fire affected both the trauma care ICU and an adjoining ICU and wards. He added that medical staff and security personnel "risked their lives" during rescue efforts and that some were injured.

The government has instructed officials to ensure proper treatment for those hurt in the incident.

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