Bhubaneswar: A patient died and two others sustained critical injuries after an ambulance caught fire at Udala Hospital in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Thursday.

The incident occurred when an ambulance had arrived at the hospital to shift a patient, identified as Sujosh Barik of Kundabai area under Udala police limits, to a private hospital in the capital city here for further treatment.

As per reports, the patient was placed inside the ambulance and oxygen was being administered when a fire suddenly broke out from the oxygen cylinder. The cylinder subsequently exploded, triggering a major fire inside the ambulance.

The locals immediately rushed to the spot and managed to pull the patient out of the burning ambulance. However, the patient reportedly suffered burn injuries in the incident and later died.

The fire intensified rapidly, engulfing the ambulance. During the blaze, another powerful explosion reportedly occurred, causing the roof of the ambulance to be blown off. The debris fell on other patients in the vicinity, leaving two people critically injured.

Fire personnel reached the spot and brought the blaze under control. Further details about the exact cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the oxygen cylinder explosion are awaited.