In Cuttack, the death toll from a catastrophic fire at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Odisha has risen to 12, following the deaths of two critically injured patients later in the day. The fire broke out around 2:48 AM in the trauma care Intensive Care Unit (ICU), likely caused by an electrical short circuit. The flames quickly spread to the second and third floors of the state’s oldest and largest government-run hospital, which has been operational since 1944 and has nearly 2,700 beds serving thousands daily.
Of the 23 patients in the affected ICUs, seven died on the scene amidst thick smoke and chaos, while three others perished during evacuation efforts. Two additional victims, a 45-year-old man and an 11-year-old girl, later died in the medicine ICU.
Hospital staff acted quickly upon discovering the fire, first alerting attendants and then aiding in the rescue of patients, many of whom were on ventilators or in critical condition. Eleven hospital staff members suffered burn injuries but are reported to be out of danger.
However, relatives of the patients claimed that the evacuation process was painfully slow, with restricted access to the area hampering communication. They alleged that the alarm was raised too late, with many stating that the siren only sounded after the fire had intensified, and that delays in contacting fire services may have increased the number of casualties. Fire safety measures within the ICU, such as sprinklers and extinguishers, reportedly failed to operate.
Preliminary investigations have confirmed several significant lapses, including a disabled sprinkler valve and a non-functional fire alarm system. A previous minor spark in an overhead AC unit had been extinguished earlier, but the subsequent fire spread uncontrollably. Firefighters from the campus station responded within minutes after the emergency services were alerted via the 112 system at around 2:58 AM.
This incident has revived painful memories of the 2016 private hospital fire in Bhubaneswar that resulted in 21 fatalities. Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, who visited the hospital, announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹25 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased from the state relief fund. He has ordered a judicial inquiry led by retired district judge Laxmidhar Biswal to investigate the events, accountability, and the hospital’s fire preparedness. Additionally, a six-member fact-finding team, headed by Development Commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh, has been established. “Stringent action will be taken against anyone found guilty,” Majhi assured.
Later in the evening, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik visited the affected ICU, inspected the damage, met with injured patients who had been relocated, and engaged in discussions with attending doctors regarding their treatment and current conditions. Expressing deep concern over the incident, Naveen called the fire in the ICU of a leading government medical institution a serious and unacceptable failure, demanding a thorough and impartial investigation.
