Cuttack: A fire broke out in the Surgery Ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on Thursday, triggering fresh concerns over fire safety measures at Odisha’s premier government healthcare institution.
According to preliminary information, the fire was caused by a short circuit in the electrical wiring inside the ward. Hospital authorities suspect that excessive load on electrical cables amid the prevailing heatwave conditions may have contributed to the incident.
The blaze originated from electric cables within the ward, prompting an immediate response from hospital staff and security personnel. Their swift action helped contain and extinguish the fire before it could spread further.
A fire brigade team rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident. However, by the time firefighters arrived, the flames had already been brought under control by hospital personnel.
No casualties, injuries, or property damage were reported in the incident, officials said.
The latest episode comes amid a series of fire incidents reported from different departments of SCB Medical College and Hospital in recent years. The recurrence of such incidents has raised questions about the adequacy of fire prevention systems and the condition of electrical infrastructure within the sprawling healthcare facility.
Authorities are expected to examine the cause of the fire and review safety measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
