At least 20 people have been killed in a major fire that broke out in SUM hospital, a leading private healthcare institute, here on Monday evening.

Fire service sources said the fire originated around 7.30 pm in the dialysis ward in the second floor of the hospital. Over 30 patients were present in the ward when the mishap occurred, police sources said.

“We engaged adequate fire tenders and rescue teams. Cause of the fire mishap is being investigated,” DGP (fire services) Binoy Behera told media persons. Hospital sources said an electric short circuit in the ward sparked the fire, which engulfed the floor in blink of an eye.

“Soon after the fire mishap, we shifted all patients to safer places. We also broke open some windows to prevent suffocation of patients. Our own staffers were engaged to rescue the patients,” said hospital’s deputy superintendent Basant Pati. But he did not confirm whether any patient died in the tragedy. Police sources said some patients, who suffered from suffocation, were rushed to Capital Hospital. Their conditions were stated to be normal

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