10 dead, 11 injured as major fire breaks out at SCB Medical College Hospital ICU in Odisha

Mangalore Today News Network

Cuttack, Mar 16, 2026: A major fire broke out in the ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha in the early hours of Monday, leaving 10 people dead and 11 hospital staff injured while rescuing patients.

The blaze erupted around 2:30–3:00 am in the Trauma Care ICU where several critically ill patients were undergoing treatment. Fire service personnel rushed to the spot and managed to bring the fire under control after a rescue operation.

 

Firefighters, hospital staff, police personnel, and attendants of patients worked together to evacuate those admitted in the ICU. Patients were shifted to other wards and departments within the hospital, one of the major government-run medical facilities in the state.

Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister of Odisha, along with Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling, visited the hospital to assess the situation and met the injured patients undergoing treatment.

According to Majhi, the fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit. The blaze affected the Trauma Care ICU along with adjoining ICUs and wards.

“A total of 23 patients were shifted to other departments. Seven critically ill patients died while being shifted to other ICUs and wards, while three others succumbed later,” the Chief Minister said.

He also directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured. The state government has announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹25 lakh for the families of each of the deceased.