Kharge mourns Cuttack hospital fire victims, urges Congress workers to help

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday expressed profound grief over the devastating fire at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, which reportedly claimed the lives of at least 10 patients and left several others injured.

In a message posted on X, Kharge said he was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy that unfolded in the Trauma Care ICU of the hospital. “Deeply saddened by the tragic fire at the Trauma Care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, which has claimed the lives of at least 10 patients and left several others injured,” he wrote.

Offering condolences to the bereaved families, Kharge said, “My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in this hour of grief. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.” He also urged Congress workers to step forward and provide every possible assistance to the affected families during this difficult time.

Earlier in the day, Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives following the blaze that broke out in the Intensive Care Unit of the Trauma Care Centre at the hospital.

In a post shared by the Prime Minister's Office (India), Modi conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.

Several other leaders also expressed grief over the incident, including Hari Babu Kambhampati, the governor of Odisha, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and leader of Opposition in the state Naveen Patnaik.

Meanwhile, Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi visited the hospital to review the situation and met the injured patients undergoing treatment. Majhi announced an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh each for the families of the deceased and ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident, assuring strict action if negligence is found to have contributed to the tragedy.

According to preliminary reports, the fire broke out between 2:30 am and 3 am on Monday in the ICU of the Trauma Care Centre, allegedly due to an electrical short circuit. Seven patients who were critically injured in the blaze died on the spot, while three others later succumbed to their injuries after being shifted to other intensive care units within the hospital.

With IANS inputs