Cuttack Hospital Fire: Nursing Officers Lead Swift Evacuation of ICU Patients
In the early hours of Monday, a sudden fire erupted at the trauma care centre of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, triggering a critical emergency. Thick, dense fumes rapidly filled the trauma care ICU, posing an immediate threat to patients, many of whom were on life support systems. The first responders to this perilous situation were the dedicated nursing officers on duty, whose quick thinking and bravery averted a potential disaster.
Heroic Actions in the Face of Danger
According to detailed reports, the fire broke out between 2:30 am and 2:45 am on the first floor of the five-storeyed trauma care centre building. At that time, three nursing officers—Oliva Patnaik, Sarojini Soren, and Bhagyashree Majhi—were stationed inside the trauma care ICU. Hearing the commotion, Bibekananda Sethi, a male nursing officer from the ground floor trauma casualty ward, rushed to assist. Together, this team of four acted with remarkable speed and efficiency.
They immediately raised fire alarms and began the delicate task of detaching tubes from critically ill patients, most of whom were dependent on oxygen and ventilator support. Nursing in-charge Suchitra Swain arrived at the ICU by 3 am after being alerted, coordinating the efforts. With assistance from security guards, patient attendants, and ICU staff from the nearby orthopaedic and medicine departments, they managed to evacuate all patients through the fire exit ramp, which slopes down to the ground floor.
Challenges During the Rescue Operation
The evacuation was severely hampered by the thick smoke that had quickly spread throughout the ICU, drastically reducing visibility and making patient movement extremely difficult. Despite these obstacles, the team persevered, moving most patients to the ICUs of the orthopaedic and medicine departments for continued care. The exact number of patients in the ICU at the time remains unconfirmed, but assistant nursing superintendent Swarnalata Jena noted that the trauma ICU had occupants in all 14 beds, with an adjacent small ICU of five beds also affected; records were destroyed in the fire.
Tragically, all four nursing officers and nursing in-charge Swain fell ill due to inhaling the dense fumes. While the condition of the four officers stabilized, leading to their discharge on Monday morning, Swain continues to receive treatment in the orthopaedic department. Jena emphasized that it is unclear if any patients died during the operation, as only a doctor can officially declare death.
Extended Evacuation Efforts and Community Response
The rescue operation expanded beyond the ICU, with security guards and attendants helping to evacuate patients from the paediatric ICU and other wards on higher floors. Sources confirmed that four children in the paediatric ICU were safely evacuated, and fumes had spread to the third floor. Ghanshyam Behera, whose father was on the third floor, described carrying him on his shoulder to safety and assisting others in the process; his father, Jadumani Behera, was subsequently moved to the orthopaedic ICU.
The entire rescue and evacuation exercise lasted approximately 45 minutes to an hour, showcasing the collective effort of hospital staff and bystanders. This incident highlights the critical role of frontline healthcare workers in emergency situations and underscores the need for robust fire safety protocols in medical facilities.
