Five people died and 18 others remain hospitalized after a fire at a private hospital in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur. A short circuit is the suspected cause. The CM announced Rs 4 lakh compensation, and an SIT will investigate the tragedy.
Five people have died in the fire that broke out at a private hospital in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, while 18 patients remain hospitalised, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Tushar Kumar said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, Kumar said the situation was now under control and that authorities were closely monitoring the condition of the injured. The SDM also noted that the compensation had already been provided to 33 affected families, while assistance to the remaining beneficiaries would be disbursed soon.
“Out of 27 patients admitted to the ICU, 18 remain hospitalised. Sadly, five have died, and their post-mortems are complete. Compensation has already been given to 33 affected families, and others will receive it soon,” he said.
According to Kumar, most of the injured patients are stable, though some continue to remain in critical condition and may be referred to higher medical centres if required. “Most patients are stable, though some remain critical and may be referred to better hospitals if needed. One patient, Brajnandan Rai, is admitted at Prashant Hospital; his condition is critical but being closely monitored. All deceased have undergone post-mortem,” the SDM added.
Investigation Underway, SIT Formed
Providing preliminary details about the cause of the incident, Kumar said, “Preliminary findings suggest a short circuit caused a machine blast, leading to the incident. A district-level team, including fire officers, has been formed to investigate.”
Speaking on the same, DSP Town-2 Vinita Sinha also said police and civil administration officials had been engaged in relief and rescue efforts since the morning and that an SIT has also been formed to investigate the matter further. “The police and administration have been working since early morning to control the situation. Five people lost their lives. Their bodies have been handed over to families, and officials are assisting with all formalities. Complaints against the hospital or related matters have been formally received at the police station. An SIT has been formed at the district magistrate and SSP level to investigate… The situation is currently under control, and the investigation team will provide findings soon,” Sinha said.
According to the officials, the fire erupted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Prasad Hospital in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur. The firefighting team faced intense smoke while rescuing around 15 people from the building.
Speaking to ANI, a firefighter recalled, “I rescued around 15 people. There was a lot of smoke as we were busy rescuing people. My job was to extinguish the fire.”
Talking to the reporters, fire officer Faiz Alam said, “Prima facie, the cause of the fire appears to be a short-circuit. We rescued 20-22 people from the ICU. Six fire engines were deployed to extinguish the fire here. The post-mortem report will make clear the reason for death. We have information that a fire audit was conducted here.”
CM Announces Compensation
Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed his profound grief and announced financial assistance for the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident. The Chief Minister confirmed that the state government has ordered an immediate ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each victim.
“The loss of four lives in a fire at a private hospital in Muzaffarpur is extremely tragic. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. May God grant peace to the departed souls and provide strength to the families during this difficult time. Instructions have been issued to provide an immediate ex-gratia grant of 4 lakh rupees each to the families of the deceased. The local administration is fully alert, and appropriate arrangements have been made at the district hospitals for the treatment of the injured,” the Bihar CM said.
On the other hand, Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav expressed deep concern over the unbridled growth of private hospitals following the fire incident. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)