India hospital fire kills at least 20

At least 20 people have died after a fire broke out in a hospital in eastern India, local police have said.

More than 40 critically ill patients were trapped in an intensive care unit by the blaze on Monday, which is believed to have been triggered by an electric short circuit in the dialysis ward of the SUM hospital building in the city of Bhubaneswar in Orissa state.

"More than 100 patients have been shifted to other hospitals. Many of them are critical and the death toll may rise further," police commissioner Yogesh Khurania said.

About 120 firefighters were mobilised to tackle the blaze, which was later brought under control.

Eyewitnesses and hospital sources said the fire was first spotted in the ICU of the medicine ward before spreading to the dialysis ward next door.

Khurania said initial reports suggested that most of the victims had died due to smoke inhalation, with toxic smoke filling the entire floor of the building and hampering rescue efforts.

Many of the injured are in a critical condition.

Some frightened patients and hospital employees tried to jump out of the building's windows but were prevented from doing so by police, reports said.