Muzaffarpur: At least four people lost their lives and more than 20 others sustained burn injuries after a fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Prasad Hospital in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district during the early hours of Thursday.
The incident occurred at around 3 a.m., triggering panic among patients, attendants, and hospital staff. Fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and managed to bring the blaze under control after a major rescue operation.
According to local residents, the death toll could rise as several patients suffered serious injuries. The ICU ward where the fire originated was located on the fifth floor of the hospital, making rescue efforts particularly difficult.
Firefighters broke open windows and doors to evacuate patients trapped inside the ICU and other wards. Several critically ill patients were shifted to safer locations as thick smoke engulfed the building.
Eyewitnesses said visibility inside the ward was almost zero due to dense smoke. “The entire ward was filled with smoke. Nothing was visible, and people were struggling to save their lives,” a local resident said.
A 93-year-old ICU patient, Radha Devi, recounted the terrifying moments. “I was admitted to the ICU when I suddenly noticed smoke spreading inside the ward. I immediately removed my oxygen mask and came out of the room. After reaching outside, I informed a security guard that a fire had broken out inside,” she said.
Another eyewitness, Dheeraj Giri, who was sleeping on the hospital terrace at the time of the incident, said he woke up after hearing screams.
“I rushed downstairs and saw people desperately trying to escape. Some were shouting at hospital staff. The smoke was so dense that nothing could be seen inside the ward,” he said.
Following the incident, angry family members alleged that doctors and hospital employees abandoned patients and fled the premises after the fire broke out. A fire department official also claimed that most of the hospital staff were absent when emergency responders arrived at the scene.
Some witnesses further alleged that police hurriedly removed the bodies from the site, while a nurse was accused of initially claiming that some of the deceased patients were still alive. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Residents also questioned the hospital’s emergency preparedness, claiming that a timely water supply and faster response could have reduced the number of casualties.
Muzaffarpur District Magistrate Subrat Kumar said that strict action would be taken if negligence on the part of the hospital administration was found during the investigation.
“The ICU had around 15 patients at the time of the fire. Some family members have alleged that their patients are missing. Every aspect of the incident is being investigated,” Kumar said.
He added that doctors, paramedical staff, the Civil Surgeon, and other senior officials had reached the hospital and were monitoring the situation.
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, and an official inquiry has been launched to determine the circumstances that led to the tragedy.
