CUTTACK: Two days after a devastating fire claimed 12 lives at SCB Medical College and Hospital (MCH), another blaze erupted again in the non-trauma casualty ward of the hospital on Wednesday afternoon.
At around 1 pm, smoke was found emanating from a switchboard inside the store room of the non-trauma casualty ward possibly due to electric short circuit. Over 100 patients were undergoing treatment in the non-trauma ward when the incident occurred.
Luckily, the smoke detector triggered the alarm and the SCB fire station was informed. Fire services personnel reached the spot, disconnected the power supply and doused the blaze. No casualty or damage to property was reported in the incident.
Lack of maintenance of electrical equipment is said to be the cause of the short circuit in the switch board. “If the smoke detector had not been activated, another major fire could have occurred,” alleged a patient’s relative calling for thorough inspection of the electrical equipment and accessories including wiring and switch board.
Efforts to elicit response from superintendent of SCB MCH Prof Gautam Satapathy and assistant engineer of general electricity department Sabita Sahoo on the incident proved futile.