NEW DELHI: At least 10 critically ill patients were killed after a fire broke out at a government-run hospital in eastern India on Monday, officials said.
The blaze erupted early morning on the first floor of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, according to Mohan Charan Majhi.
Authorities said the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit in the trauma intensive care unit (ICU), where critically ill patients were undergoing treatment.
Majhi said 23 patients were present on the affected floor when the fire broke out. Ten patients died in the incident, while the remaining were safely shifted to other wards of the hospital.
At least 11 hospital staff members suffered burn injuries while attempting to rescue patients during the emergency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as “deeply painful” in a message posted on social media and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. He also announced compensation of $2,160 for each affected family.
Building fires are relatively common in India, often linked to poor safety enforcement, inadequate firefighting equipment and faulty electrical wiring.
Earlier in 2024, a fire at a private hospital in Tamil Nadu killed at least six people and injured more than two dozen others.
In the same year, another hospital fire in Uttar Pradesh resulted in the deaths of 10 newborns after flames engulfed a medical facility.
