12 Dead In Fire At SCB Medical College Hospital In Odisha; Judicial Probe Ordered
The blaze, suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit, broke out at around 2:40 am on the first floor of the Trauma ICU block. Within minutes, flames and thick smoke spread through the ward and adjoining corridors, triggering panic among patients, attendants and hospital staff
Bhubaneswar: The death toll in the devastating fire at SCB Medical College and Hospital has risen to 12, turning what began as a routine early morning in the Trauma ICU into one of the worst hospital tragedies in Odisha in recent years.
The blaze, suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit, broke out at around 2:40 am on the first floor of the Trauma ICU block. Within minutes, flames and thick smoke spread through the ward and adjoining corridors, triggering panic among patients, attendants and hospital staff.
Officials said 23 patients were admitted across two ICU rooms when the fire erupted. Seven patients died on the spot, reportedly unable to escape the suffocating smoke and flames. Three others died while being shifted to different units of the hospital, while two more — a 45-year-old man and an 11-year-old girl — later succumbed to their injuries in the Medicine ICU.
Hospital sources said four patients remain in critical condition and are undergoing treatment.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as nurses and medical staff rushed to evacuate critically ill patients, many of whom were on life-support systems. Stretchers and wheelchairs were used to move patients, while in some cases attendants and staff carried them out using makeshift arrangements in a desperate attempt to save lives.
Some grieving family members alleged that delays in raising the alarm and initiating rescue operations worsened the situation. Restricted access to the ICU area reportedly added to confusion, leaving several attendants struggling to locate their relatives.
“I heard an unusual sound and then saw flames inside the ICU area between 2:30 am and 3 am. There was chaos as patients were being moved in a hurry,” said an eyewitness who lost a family member in the incident.
Following the tragedy, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident. The probe will be conducted by retired district judge Laxmidhar Biswal to determine the exact cause of the fire and identify any lapses in safety or response.