CUTTACK: Even as the SCB Medical College and Hospital (MCH) management claims it has left no stone unturned to ensure fire safety measures are in place, the ground reality speaks of a different story altogether.
The second floor of the old medicine department building has several hand-held fire extinguishers installed in different places of the corridor. Many such fire extinguishers have also been put up in the wards, ICUs and other department walls.
As per sources, these fire extinguishers have been installed by the general electricity department (GED) under the Roads and Buildings division. However, observed closely, it was found that the labels affixed to the fire extinguishers mentioning date of manufacturing, installation, refilling and servicing had been torn off.
Only one fire extinguisher was spared and as mentioned in the sticker, the date of its installation was October 2024 while the next due date for its refilling/servicing was scheduled for October 3, 2025. This raises the question as to whether the hand-held fire extinguishers were in working condition and why had the stickers attached to them been removed.
A fire services officer said every hand-held fire extinguisher has a refilling date ranging from one year to five years depending on the gas stored inside. “While cylinders filled with nitrogen need to be refilled every two years, those with carbon dioxide need filling up every five years,” he said.
If such is the condition of the equipment, how would have they been effective enough to douse the massive blaze that erupted in the trauma ICU due to electric short circuit?” questioned a city-based social activist.
SCB MCH superintendent Prof Gautam Satapathy could not be contacted for his comments on this matter.