Odisha Hospital Fire: 10 Patients Killed, 11 Staff Injured in Major Blaze at SCB Medical College Trauma ICU in Cuttack

Cuttack/New Delhi: At least 10 patients died and 11 hospital staff members suffered burn injuries after a major fire broke out in the Trauma Care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Odisha’s Cuttack in the early hours of Monday, triggering a large-scale emergency evacuation of critically ill patients. 

According to multiple reports, the fire erupted between 2:30 am and 3:00 am in the ICU of the trauma care department, where critically ill patients were undergoing treatment. Fire services, hospital staff and emergency responders rushed to the spot to contain the blaze and shift patients to safer wards and adjoining ICUs. 

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi visited the hospital soon after the incident and confirmed the death toll. He said the blaze affected the trauma care ICU and adjoining critical care areas.

Reports quoting officials said 23 patients were in the affected trauma care ICU and nearby units, and all were shifted during the rescue effort. 

Initial reports indicate that the 11 injured staff members sustained burn injuries while trying to rescue patients from the smoke-filled ICU.

Some media reports, however, put the overall number of injured higher, with at least one report saying 16 people were hurt, suggesting that the casualty figures may be revised as more official details emerge. 

There are also differing accounts on how the deaths occurred. While several reports state that 10 patients died after the fire and during evacuation, others quote officials as saying seven patients died in the blaze itself and three succumbed during shifting or due to severe burns and suffocation.

Authorities have not yet issued a final detailed medical breakdown of the fatalities. 

The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, though early reports citing the Chief Minister suggest a possible short-circuit may have triggered the blaze.

Fire tenders managed to bring the flames under control after a rapid response operation inside the trauma block. 

Following the tragedy, Chief Minister Majhi announced a judicial inquiry into the incident and declared an ex gratia of ₹25 lakh for the family of each deceased patient.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief, and reports said an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund would be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, while the injured would receive financial assistance. 

The incident has sparked fresh concerns over fire safety preparedness in government hospitals, particularly in high-dependency and intensive care units where patients are often immobile and dependent on life-support systems.

Family members and local voices have also raised questions over emergency response systems and whether adequate fire safety mechanisms were in place in the trauma care block. 

SCB Medical College and Hospital, one of Odisha’s largest government-run tertiary care institutions, remains at the centre of the state’s emergency medical infrastructure, making the scale of the incident especially significant.

Further official updates are awaited on the identities of the deceased, the condition of the injured staff, and the final findings of the probe.