Inferno at SUM hospital in Bhubaneswar kills 23; many injured

Bhubaneswar: A major fire broke out in SUM hospital, a leading private healthcare institute, here on Monday evening killing at least 23 people. Several patients have suffered suffocation-related injuries.

Sources from the fire service said that inferno broke out at the dialysis ward in second floor of the hospital. Nearly 30 patients were present in the ICU ward.

Around 40 patients were rushed to the AMRI Hospitals out of which eight were declared brought dead. Fourteen others were received dead at Capital Hospital, the hospital authorities said.

"We engaged adequate fire tenders and rescue teams. Cause of the fire mishap is being investigated," said DGP (fire services) Binoy Behera.

Hospital authority claim that a short circuit in the ward sparked fire that engulfed in swift.