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Ten patients die in Odisha hospital blaze
A fire at a government-run trauma center in eastern India has left ten patients dead and eleven staff injured, officials confirmed on Monday.
Fire breaks out in critical care unit
The blaze erupted around 2:30 a.m. local time (21:00 GMT Sunday) in the trauma ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha state. Authorities suspect an electrical short circuit triggered the fire, which spread to adjacent ICUs and wards.
Firefighters brought the flames under control, and surviving patients were relocated to other hospital departments, according to officials.
Rescue efforts leave staff injured
Eleven hospital employees sustained burns while attempting to evacuate patients. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi praised their efforts, stating they "risked their lives" during the operation.
The state government has pledged financial compensation for the victims' families and ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident. Majhi vowed strict action against any negligence found.
Hospital fires a recurring hazard in India
Fires in medical facilities are alarmingly frequent in India, often linked to electrical faults. In October 2025, six critically ill patients died in an ICU fire in Rajasthan. The previous year, a neonatal ICU blaze in Jhansi claimed ten newborns, while a 2021 fire at a Maharashtra newborn care unit killed ten infants. Another 2021 incident in Virar's Vijay Vallabh Hospital resulted in 13 COVID-19 patient deaths.
Hospitals face heightened fire risks due to dense electrical equipment, oxygen systems, and immobile patients who cannot be evacuated swiftly.
Hospital profile
SCB Medical College and Hospital, one of Odisha's largest public medical facilities, serves as a major healthcare provider in the region.
