Berhampur, Aug 18: A fire broke out late Sunday night at the Nidan Kendra building of MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, Ganjam district. Fortunately, no major casualties were reported.
The blaze, which started around 1:30 am in the biochemistry laboratory on the ground floor, quickly spread to the main examination hall. The fire caused significant damage to equipment and chemical substances stored in the lab. A few staff members who were present at the site experienced suffocation due to gas leakage from the air conditioner, but they are now stable and out of danger.
A short circuit in the laboratory is believed to have triggered the fire. Firefighters responded quickly, working for over two hours to control the flames. While the exact cause of the short circuit is still under investigation, sources suggest that a possible failure in the temperature monitoring system might have played a role in the incident.
Hospital authorities are expected to assess the damage caused by the fire in the coming days, sources added.
