A massive fire broke out at the Trauma Care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, killing at least ten people. Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous has accused huge flaws in fire safety measures and demanded a high-level investigation into the tragedy.
At least 23 patients were in the ICU when the event happened at 3 a.m. on Monday. Out of the 23 patients, 10 reportedly died while being transferred to different units following the fire.
Questions about fire safety systems
The incident has generated severe worries about the hospital's fire safety procedures, particularly the sprinkler system, prompting Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous to ask for a high-level investigation into the disaster."This is likely the first incidence of this magnitude caused by a bug that resulted in the deaths of so many individuals. It is really terrible, and we are hearing that perhaps 15 patients were killed in the fire. "A high-level judicial investigation and strict action are required," she stated.
MLA Firdous also emphasized the importance of good personnel training and frequent inspections of fire safety systems.
"All systems are intended to be tested every six months according to the recommendations. Whether this was accomplished and how things might be improved should be investigated. There were gaps in existing fire safety precautions, and employees should be hired based on proper training rather than references," she noted.

Cuttack Mayor Subhas Singh expressed regret over the occurrence and requested the Odisha government to conduct a thorough investigation.
"We are very saddened. We had never seen anything like this here in my entire career. There is some neglect, and we have requested the Odisha government to conduct an appropriate investigation. Some lapses caused patient transfers to be delayed. He suggested that strict procedures be implemented, as well as the establishment of a separate security and safety unit.