Bhubaneswar, June 20: A fire broke out at the Nursing College building of AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Friday night, triggering panic on the campus.

The blaze reportedly started in a laboratory located on the fourth floor of the building.

Thanks to the swift response of the Fire Services Department, a major disaster was averted, and no casualties were reported. Hundreds of nursing students narrowly escaped harm as firefighters launched an emergency operation to bring the fire under control.

As the intensity of the blaze increased, additional firefighting assistance was immediately sought from nearby fire stations. Teams from the Bhubaneswar Fire Service, Tamando Fire Station, and AIIMS Bhubaneswar’s in-house fire unit jointly carried out the rescue and firefighting operation.

Several people who were inside the building at the time of the incident were safely evacuated. Firefighters worked on a war footing to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the structure.

The exact cause of the fire and the extent of property damage are yet to be determined. Authorities have launched an investigation, and a detailed assessment of the losses is expected after the completion of the inquiry.

Officials said the timely intervention of emergency responders helped prevent what could have been a serious incident at one of the state's premier healthcare and educational institutions.