Bhubaneswar, March 17 -- The death toll in the devastating fire at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack has risen to 12, turning what began as a routine early morning in the Trauma ICU into one of the worst hospital tragedies in Odisha in recent years. Many of the victims were critically ill and asleep when the fire broke out, leaving them little time to react as flames and thick smoke engulfed the ward.

According to preliminary reports, the blaze is suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit on the first floor of the Trauma ICU. The fire broke out at around 2:40 am and quickly spread to the upper floors, filling the corridors with dense smoke and triggering panic among patients, attendants, and hospital staff.

At the ti...