At least 10 critically ill patients died after a fire broke out at a government hospital in eastern India’s Odisha state, officials said on Monday.
The blaze erupted early in the morning on the first floor of SCB Medical College and Hospital in the city of Cuttack, according to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
Authorities said the fire was triggered by an electrical short circuit in the trauma intensive care unit, where patients were receiving treatment. There were 23 patients on the floor when the fire started.
Ten patients died in the incident, while the remaining were quickly shifted to other wards. During rescue efforts, at least 11 hospital staff members suffered burn injuries while trying to evacuate patients from the affected area.
Reacting to the tragedy, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as “deeply painful” and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. He also announced financial assistance of $2,160 for each affected family.
Fires in buildings are relatively common in India, often linked to poor maintenance, lack of firefighting equipment and weak enforcement of safety regulations. Electrical short circuits remain one of the leading causes of such incidents.
In 2024, a blaze at a private hospital in Tamil Nadu killed six people and injured more than two dozen. In another tragedy the same year, a hospital fire in Uttar Pradesh claimed the lives of 10 newborn babies.