SCB hospital fire: Kin mourn deaths of patients

Cuttack: Nirmala Barik, 38, of Paikarapur in Cuttack district, was inconsolable after finding her husband, Gauranga Charan Barik, 44, in the mortuary of SCB Medical College and Hospital here on Monday. She could not process the truth that her life partner was no more.

Nirmala, a thinly-built woman wearing a red saree and bangles, said she does not have children to look after her. “My husband was my only hope to lead a better life. Though many people teased me for not having any kid, my husband always defended me. Now I am alone in this cruel world,” she added.




On Feb 19, Gauranga, a house painter, faced a road accident near his village. “Initially, his condition was serious. Later, his condition improved after treatment. During the last few days, he was recovering very well. I was hopeful that he would be cured and come home but now it is a dream,” said Nirmala.

She was taking rest near the ICU when the fire accident happened. “I went to the first floor and requested everybody to save my husband. Smoke was there at around 3 am. I was shocked after hearing the news of his death,” she added.

Like Nirmala, relatives of other deceased patients have different stories to tell. Some of them were getting ready for discharge from the ICU within a day or 2.

Niranjan Swain, 63, brother-in-law of deceased Menaka Rout, 56, of Sarumahi village under Mahakalapada block in Kendrapada district, said Menaka finalised the date for the ring ceremony of her son on Ram Navami. “On March 1, she fell down in the bathroom and became unconscious. She was rushed to SCB. She was undergoing treatment at the Trauma Care Centre. She died in the fire accident,” he added.

Rabindra Kumar Rout, brother-in-law of Ramesh Chandra Parida, 45, of Chasapada in Cuttack district, had an accident near Charbatia on March 9 and got admitted to the Trauma Care ICU on that day. “He was recovering, and doctors decided to shift him to the general ward after 2 days. But we lost him in the fire accident,” he added.

He was a fitter in a company in Jharsuguda. He has a son studying in Class IX. “We brought him to hospital for his recovery, but the hospital fire took his life. This is unfortunate,” he added.