SCB Medical College Fire Tragedy: Father Alleges Negligence Led to Daughter's Death
A devastating early morning fire at the trauma care center of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack has resulted in tragic loss and raised serious questions about patient safety protocols. For Krupasindhu Mallick of Bhadrak district, the incident has left an irreparable void with the death of his 11-year-old daughter, Kalyani Mallick, who was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit.
The Fatal Incident and Conflicting Accounts
Kalyani Mallick, a thalassaemia patient who had been transferred from Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital on March 15, was among four children in the pediatric ICU when fire broke out on the first floor of the trauma care center on Sunday night. While hospital authorities maintain that the girl succumbed to her underlying health conditions, her father has made serious allegations of negligence against nursing staff who he claims failed to evacuate his daughter promptly.
"My daughter's condition was stable when the fire started," stated Mallick, a resident of Sahada Haripur in Bhadrak district. "She had tubes fixed to her nose and mouth, making her completely dependent on medical staff for evacuation during the emergency."
Chaotic Evacuation and Delayed Information
The fire triggered a hurried evacuation of patients from the trauma care center. During the incident, Mallick's wife Sumati was inside the pediatric ICU attending to their daughter, while Mallick and relatives waited on the ground floor. Upon hearing about the fire, Mallick rushed to alert his wife, only to find nurses and staff evacuating other children through fire exits while Kalyani remained inside.
"Both my wife and I were instructed to vacate the building immediately," Mallick recounted. "It was only after the fire was extinguished that a health staff member informed us Kalyani had been shifted to the ICU in the New Medicine building."
Heartbreaking Revelation and Unanswered Questions
Despite being told their daughter's condition was stable, the parents were denied permission to see Kalyani. The devastating news came hours later when nurses informed Mallick at 3 PM that his daughter had died. This sequence of events has left the grieving father questioning the hospital's emergency response and patient care standards.
The tragedy highlights critical concerns about hospital safety protocols during emergencies, particularly for vulnerable patients in intensive care units who cannot evacuate independently. As investigations continue, the conflicting narratives between hospital authorities and the bereaved family underscore the need for transparent accountability in healthcare institutions.
This incident at one of Odisha's premier medical facilities serves as a sobering reminder of the immense responsibility hospitals bear for patient safety, especially during crisis situations that demand swift, coordinated emergency responses.
