Bhubaneswar, March 16 Ten people were killed after a major fire broke out in an ICU at the Odisha government-run SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in the early hours of Monday, officials said.
Around 11 hospital staff members suffered burn injuries while evacuating patients to safety.
The fire erupted in the ICU of the Trauma Care department of the hospital, where critically ill patients were being treated, an official said, adding that the fire broke out around 2:30 and 3 am.
Fire service personnel rushed to the hospital and extinguished the fire after launching an operation, the official said.
Fire service officials, along with hospital staff and police, along with patients' attendants, evacuated the patients undergoing treatment in the ICU and moved them to other departments of the SCB hospital, which is a major state-run medical facility in Odisha.
Soon after receiving the news, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling, visited the hospital and assessed the situation. He also visited the patients who were being treated at the facility.
Speaking to media persons, the Chief Minister said that a major fire broke out in the SCB Medical College and Hospital due to a suspected short circuit. It affected the Trauma Care ICU and adjoining ICUs and wards, he said.
"A total of 23 patients have been moved to other departments. Seven seriously ill patients died while being moved to other ICUs and wards, while another three people died later," Majhi said.
"I have directed the concerned officers to provide proper treatment to the injured patients," he said.
The Chief Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person.