A woman allegedly died due to suffocation inside a lift at a hospital in Bhadrak, about 130km from here, on Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as Minati Parida, 55. She hailed from Narsinghpur under the jurisdiction of Bhadrak police station.

Officials said she was brought to the hospital after falling ill at her house. She was suffering from goitre. After she complained of respiratory problems, family members took her to the hospital. She was admitted to the Bhadrak district hospital and given treatment. The doctor had advised her to be shifted to the medicine ward located on the second floor.

The relatives, along with the hospital attendant, took her inside the elevator to shift her to the ward. She was taken inside the lift first on a stretcher, while others were still outside. Suddenly, the elevator started while Minati was inside. The lift got stranded midway, resulting in Minati being trapped inside. Later, the fire brigade officials rushed to the spot and retrieved the body of Minati. She seemed to have died of suffocation by then.

The mishap sparked tension in the areas. The relatives of the deceased launched an agitation. Police immediately rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. “We have launched an investigation to ascertain the causes of the elevator failure that led to the death of the women. Action would be initiated against those responsible for the death. The sub-collector will do an inquiry,” said an official.

The district administration has announced a compensation of ₹8 lakh for the family of Minati.