At least 10 patients have lost their lives after a fire incident at a government hospital in eastern India, authorities confirmed on Monday.
The victims were critically ill individuals receiving treatment in the trauma intensive care unit of the facility. The incident occurred at the SCB Medical College and Hospital located in Cuttack, a city in Odisha State.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi explained that the fire started early in the day on the first floor of the hospital building. He said, “A short circuit caused the fire in the trauma ICU ward where patients were being treated,” and noted that 23 patients were on the floor when the fire broke out.
According to officials, 10 patients died as a result of the incident. Emergency responders evacuated the remaining patients to other sections of the hospital.
During the rescue effort, at least 11 hospital staff sustained burn injuries while attempting to save those trapped in the ward.
Reacting to the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as “deeply painful” in a message shared on social media. He also extended his condolences to the bereaved families and announced compensation of $2,160 for those affected.
Fire outbreaks remain a recurring problem in India. Experts often link such incidents to poor safety compliance and inadequate firefighting infrastructure. Faulty electrical wiring is frequently identified as a major cause.
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 many others injured. Another incident in the same year led to the deaths of 10 newborns after a hospital in Uttar Pradesh was engulfed by fire.
Authorities are expected to investigate the latest incident to determine further details surrounding the cause and response.
