• At least 10 confirmed fatalities in a fire at SCB Medical College in Odisha.
• Allegations of delayed alarms and malfunctioning safety equipment surfaced.
• Over a dozen hospital staff were injured during the rescue operations.
• Chief Minister announced an investigation and compensation for the victims' families.

A fire that broke out in the trauma care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, has tragically resulted in the deaths of at least 10 patients, with reports now indicating 12 fatalities. The incident occurred around 2:30 AM, suspected to be caused by a short circuit, which provoked a chaotic evacuation involving nurses and security personnel risking their lives to save patients, according to India Times and Reuters.

The Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, confirmed that 23 patients were in the ICU at the time of the fire, with casualties occurring both during the blaze and while patients were being transferred. Additionally, at least 11 hospital staff members suffered injuries trying to facilitate the rescue, reported BBC and Dawn.

Eyewitness accounts and patient attendants have raised serious concerns about the delayed alarm system and malfunctioning firefighting equipment, alleging that a siren was only sounded after the fire had significantly spread. Many believe that prompt action could have mitigated the tragedy, as cited by India Times and India Times.

The state government has announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and has initiated a judicial inquiry into the matter, emphasizing accountability for those found responsible for the safety failures, per reports from BBC and Dawn.