Fire breaks out after AC short circuit at Odisha hospital

BERHAMPUR: Panic gripped the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur after a fire broke out in the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department around 3 pm on Tuesday. The fire occurred inside a room of the anaesthesia section attached to the operation theatre on the second floor of the department.

The blaze is suspected to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit in an air-conditioner. On being alerted, fire personnel rushed to the spot and brought the flames under control. No patients were present inside the OT at the time of the incident. No casualty or significant property damage was reported in the incident, said Prof Sudeepa Das, superintendent of the MCH. She added that short circuit led to the fire and it was tackled immediately by fire safety officers.

However, the fire rattled people in the hospital. A fire office exists on the MCH premises. Incidentally, a lapse was purportedly noticed at the entrance of the department, where a fire extinguisher bearing an expired validity date was found installed. The cylinder reportedly showed a gas-filling date of August 1, 2025, while its validity had expired on July 31, 2026.

Fire officer Purnachandra Marandi said the situation was brought under control promptly. Officials avoided the question on the expired fire extinguisher.