Four people died after a massive fire broke out in the ICU of a private hospital in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. A short-circuit is suspected to be the cause. The state government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for the victims' kin.
The death toll from the blaze at a private hospital in Muzaffarpur has reached four, with specialised forensic teams now examining the scene to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy.
Short-Circuit Suspected as Cause
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 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."
Bihar CM Announces Rs 4 Lakh Ex-Gratia
Meanwhile, on Thursday, 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)
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