Khulna, May 20 -- A fire broke out on the third floor of Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) early Wednesday, triggering panic among patients, attendants and staff and leaving several people injured during a chaotic evacuation.

The fire originated around 6:00am in a store room on the third floor of the four-storey hospital building, officials said.

Dense smoke quickly spread to nearby areas, including operation theatres and post-operative wards, forcing staff to rush patients through emergency exits, witnesses said.

Critical patients were also evacuated from the ICU as the situation worsened, hospital sources said.

Panic spread rapidly through the facility as patients and attendants rushed to safety.

Several people were injured du...