1008564424__20260302__0 A fire at a government-run hospital in eastern India killed at least 10 critically ill patients who were admitted in the trauma care unit.
Image: File
At least 10 critically ill patients lost their lives after a fire broke out in the trauma intensive care unit at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, in India’s eastern state of Odisha, early on Monday.
According to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the blaze erupted on the first floor of the government-run medical facility, where patients were receiving treatment in the trauma ICU ward.
Majhi told reporters that the fire was triggered by a short circuit in the ward. At the time of the incident, 23 patients were admitted on that floor of the hospital.
Ten patients died following the fire, while the remaining patients were safely relocated to other wards within the facility.
During the rescue efforts, at least 11 hospital staff members sustained burn injuries while attempting to evacuate patients from the ward.
Reacting to the tragedy, Narendra Modi described the incident as “deeply painful” in a social media post and extended condolences to the families of the victims. He also announced compensation of $2,160 for the affected families.
Fires in buildings remain a recurring problem in India, often linked to inadequate firefighting infrastructure and poor adherence to safety regulations. Electrical short circuits, frequently caused by poorly maintained wiring, are cited as the leading cause of such incidents.
Similar tragedies have occurred in recent years. In 2024, a fire at a private hospital in Tamil Nadu claimed at least six lives and left more than two dozen people injured. In the same year, another hospital blaze in Uttar Pradesh killed 10 newborn babies.
AFP