Daijiworld Media Network - Muzaffarpur
Muzaffarpur, Jun 4: A major fire broke out at a private hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving at least three people dead and more than 20 others injured. Authorities suspect a short circuit may have triggered the blaze, though the exact cause is yet to be confirmed.
The fire rapidly spread through the building, filling several sections of the hospital with thick toxic smoke and triggering panic among patients, attendants and staff. Emergency response teams rushed to the scene and launched a large-scale rescue operation to evacuate those trapped inside.
Several patients, including critically ill individuals, were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. Officials said many of the rescued patients remain in serious condition.
District Magistrate Subrat Kumar Sen said three deaths have been confirmed so far, while authorities are verifying the status of all patients who were admitted when the fire broke out.
"The ICU in-charge of the hospital is also seriously injured and has been admitted to another hospital. We are collecting accurate data regarding casualties. At present, three deaths have been confirmed," Sen said.
Speaking about the possible cause of the fire, the district magistrate said preliminary findings point towards a short circuit involving the oxygen unit and monitoring systems. "An investigation is underway and the exact cause will be determined after a detailed probe," he added.
Family members of several patients alleged negligence on the part of the hospital administration. One relative claimed his father, who was undergoing treatment in the ICU, died in the incident and alleged that hospital authorities failed to provide information after the fire. Some family members also alleged that staff members were missing from the premises during the emergency.
Fire Officer R N Pandey said the department received information about the blaze around 3 am. By the time firefighters reached the hospital, the ICU was engulfed in dense smoke.
"Most of the hospital employees were absent when the rescue teams arrived," Pandey said.
Nearly a dozen fire tenders were deployed to the spot. Firefighters carried out rescue operations for several hours, breaking open doors and windows to reach patients trapped inside smoke-filled wards and the ICU.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, while efforts continue to identify all affected patients and ascertain the full extent of the tragedy.