At least five people were killed and several others injured after a fire broke out in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district in the early hours of Thursday, prompting the administration to order an inquiry into the incident.
The blaze erupted around 3 am at Prasad Hospital in the Brahmpura area and rapidly engulfed the ICU, filling the ward with dense smoke and triggering panic among patients and hospital staff.
Muzaffarpur Municipal Commissioner Rituraj Singh confirmed that five deaths had been reported in the incident. Several injured persons are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, he said.
The deceased were identified as Shashank Kumar, Krishnanandan Singh and Geeta Devi, all residents of Muzaffarpur district, Uday Kumar of Sheohar district and Chanchala Verma of Sitamarhi district. Officials said the bodies were handed over to family members after post-mortem examinations.
According to district authorities, all patients admitted to the hospital have been accounted for. Earlier, Muzaffarpur District Magistrate Subrat Kumar Sen said around 13 to 15 patients had been undergoing treatment in the ICU when the fire broke out. They were subsequently shifted to other medical facilities.
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The district magistrate said preliminary findings suggested that a short circuit may have triggered the blaze, although the exact cause would be determined only after a detailed investigation. A five-member inquiry committee has been constituted to probe the incident.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said the government was examining the circumstances that led to the fire and would take appropriate action based on the findings of the investigation.
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary described the incident as “extremely tragic” and expressed condolences to the bereaved families. He announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person and said adequate arrangements had been made for the treatment of the injured.
BJP state president Nitin Nabin and former chief minister Nitish Kumar also expressed grief over the loss of lives and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
Meanwhile, relatives of some patients alleged negligence on the part of the hospital administration and claimed the casualty figure could be higher than the official toll. Satyam Kumar, whose father died in the fire, alleged that the ICU was engulfed in thick smoke and that fire safety measures and alarm systems appeared to have failed during the emergency.
The allegations are expected to form part of the ongoing inquiry.
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