A major fire at the trauma care intensive care unit (ICU) of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, early Monday morning left ten patients dead and several hospital staff members injured.

According to officials, the fire broke out between 2:30 am and 3:00 am in the trauma ICU where critically ill patients were undergoing treatment. Emergency teams rushed to the scene soon after the incident, and multiple fire engines were deployed to control the blaze and assist in rescue operations.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said hospital staff were injured while evacuating patients from the affected ward during the emergency.

Patients shifted as rescue operations continued

Following the fire, 23 patients were moved to other departments and wards within the hospital to ensure their safety and continued medical care.

Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said seven critically ill patients died while being shifted to other ICUs and wards, while three more succumbed later.

“A total of 23 patients have been shifted to other departments. Seven serious patients died while shifting to other ICUs and wards, while another three patients died later. I have directed the concerned officers for proper treatment of the injured patients,” Majhi said.

Chief minister visits hospital, announces compensation

Soon after the incident, Majhi visited the hospital along with Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling to review the situation. They also met patients who were undergoing treatment at the facility.

The Chief Minister announced financial assistance of ₹25 lakh for the families of each deceased patient.

He also ordered a judicial probe into the incident to determine the cause of the fire and examine safety measures at the hospital.

Authorities continue to monitor the condition of injured staff members and patients who were shifted from the ICU.

Polling for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections is being held on Monday for 37 seats across 10 states, with voting taking place between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.

The counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm, after polling concludes. Authorities have issued detailed guidelines and deployed observers to ensure that the voting process takes place smoothly and in a transparent manner.

Seats across 10 states going to polls

The elections are being conducted to fill vacancies in the Upper House from several states. The 37 seats up for election are distributed across the following states:

• Maharashtra – 7 seats
• Tamil Nadu – 6 seats
• Bihar – 5 seats
• West Bengal – 5 seats
• Odisha – 4 seats
• Assam – 3 seats
• Telangana – 2 seats
• Chhattisgarh – 2 seats
• Haryana – 2 seats
• Himachal Pradesh – 1 seat
  

These biennial elections are held as sitting members of the Rajya Sabha complete their six-year terms.

Key leaders completing their terms

Several prominent members of the Upper House are set to complete their terms in April, leading to the current round of elections.

Among them are Union Ministers Ramnath Thakur and Ramdas Athawale, along with Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh.

Other leaders whose terms are ending include Sharad Pawar, Upendra Kushwaha, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, M Thambidurai, and Tiruchi Siva.

Election Commission guidelines for voting

The Election Commission has issued specific instructions for voting during the Rajya Sabha elections.

MLAs participating in the election must use only the integrated violet sketch pen supplied by the Returning Officer to mark their preferences on ballot papers. The use of any other pen is not permitted.

Observers appointed by the Commission will monitor the polling process closely to ensure that the elections are conducted freely and fairly across all participating states.

With polling underway and counting scheduled later in the evening, results are expected to clarify the new composition of the Upper House.

A fire broke out near Dubai International Airport on Monday after a drone-related incident struck a fuel tank in the surrounding area, prompting authorities to suspend flights temporarily while emergency teams responded.

Officials said crews from Dubai Civil Defence were quickly deployed to control the blaze after the incident was reported near the airport. Authorities confirmed that no injuries were recorded and that safety protocols were immediately activated in the surrounding area.

The Dubai Media Office said in a post on X that a drone incident near the airport had affected one of the fuel tanks. Emergency teams moved rapidly to bring the fire under control.

Later, officials confirmed that the situation had been contained. According to authorities, civil defence teams successfully controlled the fire resulting from the impact on the fuel facility, and there were no casualties.

Authorities said response teams acted quickly while precautionary safety measures were implemented to safeguard residents, workers and airport operations in the area.

Flights temporarily suspended as precaution

Following the incident, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority announced a temporary suspension of flights at Dubai International Airport to ensure passenger and staff safety.

Travellers were advised to contact their respective airlines for updated flight schedules as authorities assessed the situation and continued response operations.

Airport officials also confirmed that some flights were diverted to Al Maktoum International Airport during the temporary suspension.

Rising security concerns amid regional conflict

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region. Officials said Iran has fired more than 1,800 missiles and drones toward the United Arab Emirates since the start of the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Authorities said the UAE has become one of the most targeted countries during the escalation, though most projectiles have reportedly been intercepted by air defence systems.

The strikes have targeted both military and civilian infrastructure, including airports, ports and oil facilities across the Gulf after US-Israeli strikes reportedly hit Iranian leadership targets.

Meanwhile, the UAE’s defence ministry has reported six deaths linked to the conflict so far — four civilians and two military personnel. Officials said the soldiers died in a helicopter crash caused by a technical issue.