Fire in Cuttack’s SCB hospital ICU leaves at least 10 patients dead

Ten sufferers died and plenty of other others were grievously injured when a fireplace broke out in an intensive care unit of SCB Clinical College Health heart, Cuttack attributable to electrical short circuit in the early hours of Monday (March 16, 2026).

“A significant fireplace had broken out in the ICU of trauma care unit of SCB Clinical College Health heart. Adjacent wards were also affected. As many as 23 sufferers present process medication in the critical ground of trauma care were shifted,” mentioned Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who visited the clinic soon after the fireplace incident.

“Whereas interesting them, seven sufferers succumbed to injuries. Due to the this truth, one other three sufferers died in ICUs all the most life like possible blueprint via medication,” mentioned Mr. Majhi.

The incident took set aside spherical 2:30 a.m. when family contributors of sufferers seen smoke billowing out from the trauma care ICU where plenty of accident victims from all facets of Odisha were admitted in necessary situation. Despite the indisputable truth that the fireplace service became straight contacted, it took them about 30 minutes to succeed in the gap. By that time, clinic crew, security guards and family contributors had already started efforts to extinguish the fireplace and shift the affected sufferers. On the different hand, sufferers were complaining about severe asphyxia in the smoke-stuffed clinic rooms.

“My father, Madhusudan Dalai, became grievously injured in an accident about 11 to 12 days in the past. He became present process medication in ICU. His situation became quick bettering. Clinical doctors had told me he that he might effectively be released in a day or two. Around 3.30 am, I obtained a phone name that fireplace had broken out in the ICU. When I reached the gap, my father had already misplaced his life,” mentioned Amitabh Dalai, the patient’s son.

Patients were shifted to the Contemporary Treatment constructing and orthopeadic wards. As many as 11 clinic workers, including internal most security guards, sustained injures. Their stipulations were said to be stable.

Terming the incident unhappy and tragic, the Chief Minister introduced ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh every for the relations of the deceased.

President Droupadi Murmu condoled the shortcoming of lives in the fireplace and wished for a quick restoration of the injured. High Minister Narendra Modi mentioned he became deeply pained following the incident and introduced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the High Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of family contributors of every deceased, and the injured can be given ₹50,000 every.

Truth-discovering panel

Mr. Majhi has constituted a excessive-stage truth-discovering crew beneath the chairmanship of Kind Commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh to investigate the explanations in the back of the fireplace incident. The committee visited SCB Clinical College and Health heart and became directed to put up its document to the Chief Secretary by Monday evening.

The Chief Minister also ordered a judicial probe into the incident and assured action in opposition to those found accountable for lapses leading to the fireplace in the ICU. Following the announcement, the Odisha government constituted the Judicial Payment of Inquiry beneath the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. The Payment of Inquiry, that can even encompass six contributors headed by retired district resolve Laxmidhar Biswal, would request into the incident and put up a document internal 60 days.

Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed deep sorrow over the fireplace incident at SCB Clinical College in Cuttack. Conveying condolences to the bereaved households, he also prayed for the quick restoration of those severely injured and demanded the splendid conceivable medical medication for them. Later in the day, the Biju Janata Dal president visited the clinic and enquired with the affected sufferers receiving medication.