Fire Safety Concerns Raised Over Lack of Extinguishers in Koraput Medical College and Government Offices

Koraput | Apr 7, 2026 - Serious concerns have been raised by local residents over the absence of fire safety equipment, particularly fire extinguishers, at the Koraput Medical College and Hospital in Koraput, along with several other government offices in the district.



According to locals, the lack of basic fire safety infrastructure poses a grave risk to the lives of patients, attendants, and staff within the hospital premises. Many have expressed fear that in the event of a fire outbreak, the situation could quickly turn catastrophic due to the absence of immediate firefighting measures and limited emergency escape options.



Residents pointed out that similar concerns have been observed in other major hospitals across the state, including healthcare institutions in Berhampur and Cuttack, where fire safety preparedness has often been questioned. However, the situation in Koraput is being described as particularly alarming, with claims that fire extinguishers are completely unavailable throughout the medical college building.



“With hundreds, sometimes thousands of people present inside the hospital at any given time, a fire incident without proper safety arrangements could lead to massive loss of life,” a local resident alleged. “There appears to be no clear emergency exit plan or immediate response mechanism in place.”



The issue is not limited to the hospital alone. Residents further alleged that key administrative establishments, including the Collector’s Office and other government buildings in the district, are also lacking fire extinguishers, highlighting a broader systemic negligence toward fire safety norms.



Locals have urged the district administration to take immediate action and conduct thorough safety audits across all public institutions. They have warned that failure to address the issue promptly could result in a major tragedy in the future.



Despite the seriousness of the allegations, there has been no official response from the authorities at the time of filing this report.