By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, October 17, 2016 : A massive fire broke out at Bhubaneswar’s Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital on Monday evening leaving 22 patients dead and many injured. The toll is likely to go up, sources revealed.

While 14 dead bodies were received at the Capital hospital, 8 more deaths were reported from Amri hospital where the patients were shifted.

Many were also reportedly taken ill suffering from asphyxiation.

As many as 7 fire tending vehicles were deployed to bring the blaze under control. Moreover, thirteen 108 ambulances were also pressed into service to shift the patients out of the hospital.

According to sources, the fire broke out following a short circuit. The fire was first reported from the dialysis OT, subsequently spreading to the ICU and a ward.

“All the patients in the ICU and on the ventilator were evacuated. The critical patients have been shifted to Capital hospital and 3 private hospitals,” said deputy superintendent of SUM Hospital Basant Pati.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited the patients and ordered an inquiry into the fire. He also tweeted saying that he had briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the treatment of the injured and the monitoring of the situation.

Soon after the incident, the State government formed a probe committee led by the DMET with collector and fire safety officer as its members to investigate into the mishap.

Calling the tragedy “mind-numbing” and expressing anguish for the loss of lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Spoke to Minister @JPNadda & asked him to facilitate transfer of all those injured to AIIMS. Hope the injured recover quickly.”

In 2011, a major blaze had engulfed AMRI Hospital in Kolkata, killing more than 90 people including 85 patients under treatment at the hospital.