What should be one of the safest places in a city suddenly turned into a scene of tragedy.
At least 10 patients were killed after a fire broke out in the trauma centre of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
The blaze erupted around 2:30am Monday, reportedly triggered by an electrical short circuit in the trauma care ICU.
All those who died were patients. Meanwhile, 11 hospital staff members suffered burns while trying to rescue people trapped inside the unit.
According to Mohan Charan Majhi, doctors, nurses and security personnel “risked their lives” to evacuate patients as flames spread to nearby wards.
Firefighters eventually brought the blaze under control, and survivors were shifted to other parts of the hospital.
Hospital Fire Risks
Authorities have now ordered a judicial inquiry, promising strict action if negligence is found.
Compensation has also been announced for victims’ families.
But the tragedy raises a troubling question: why do hospital fires keep happening in India?
In recent years, several deadly blazes—many linked to electrical faults—have struck medical facilities.
These include ICU fires in Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
Experts say hospitals are particularly vulnerable because of heavy electrical loads, oxygen systems and immobile patients.
And that’s the cruel irony: in places meant to save lives, even a small spark can become a catastrophe.
