Deadly ICU blaze at Odisha medical college hospital leaves 10 dead, probe ordered

A devastating fire in the intensive care unit (ICU) of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in the early hours of Monday claimed at least ten lives and left several others injured, triggering nationwide grief and fresh concerns over hospital fire safety. According to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi , the blaze broke out between 2:30 am and 3:00 am in the Trauma Care ICU, where critically ill patients were undergoing treatment.

A total of 23 patients were present in the affected ICU and adjoining ward at the time. Seven patients died in the fire itself, while three others succumbed to burns or suffocation during evacuation, taking the toll to ten. Around eleven hospital staff members sustained burn injuries while attempting to rescue patients trapped inside. Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been caused by a short circuit , though a detailed investigation is underway to determine the exact cause. Fire service personnel, assisted by hospital staff, police, and attendants, managed to douse the flames and shift patients to other departments of the hospital.

Chief Minister Majhi rushed to the facility along with Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling , reviewed the situation, and directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured . A judicial probe has been ordered, and the Director General of Fire Services has been asked to conduct an immediate inquiry and assess fire safety compliance, with the chief minister warning of strict action if negligence is found . The state government has announced an ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh for the families of each deceased.

President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, offering condolences to the bereaved families and wishing a speedy recovery to those injured in a message posted on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also described the incident as deeply painful , conveyed condolences, and announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, providing ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 to those injured.

The tragedy has revived memories of several major hospital fire disasters across India in recent years, including the 2011 blaze at AMRI Hospital that killed over 90 people due to toxic fumes, the 2021 fire at Dreams Mall housing a COVID-designated hospital that claimed nine lives, the ICU fire at Vijay Vallabh Hospital in April 2021 that killed 15 COVID-19 patients, the May 2021 blaze at Patel Welfare Hospital that left 18 people dead including nurses, the November 2024 fire in the neonatal ICU of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College that killed at least 10 infants, and the October 2025 neuro ICU fire at Sawai Man Singh Hospital that claimed six lives, underscoring persistent safety challenges in healthcare facilities.