Five die in Muzaffarpur hospital fire, elderly patient’s alertness helps save lives

At least five people were killed and more than 15 others injured after a massive fire, reportedly triggered by a short circuit, engulfed the ICU of Prasad Hospital in Muzaffarpur early Thursday. The injured were shifted to other hospitals for treatment.

Authorities officially confirmed five deaths in the incident and said that exposure to intense heat and smoke inhalation might have caused the fatalities. However, the exact cause of death will be ascertained only after the postmortem.

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“A total of five deaths have been confirmed. There are several injured persons, who are undergoing treatment at various hospitals,” Muzaffarpur Municipal Commissioner Rituraj Singh said.

Four of the deceased have been identified as Krishnanandan Prasad Singh (76), Geeta Devi (62), Shashank (30), and Uday Kumar (57). The identity of the fifth victim has yet to be officially disclosed.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed grief over the tragedy and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and directed officials to provide immediate compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.

Former chief minister Nitish Kumar also expressed condolences to the bereaved families. “The tragic loss of lives in the accident caused by a fire in a private hospital in Muzaffarpur district of the state is extremely heart-wrenching. I offer deep condolences to the bereaved families, and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said in a post on X.

Amid the tragedy, Bihar Health Minister Nishant Kumar left for Delhi from Patna. When journalists attempted to seek his response on the incident at the airport, he declined to comment, folded his hands before the media, and proceeded to board his flight.

The incident triggered outrage among relatives of the victims and other family members, who staged a protest on the hospital premises and demanded a thorough investigation and strict action against those found responsible.

A relative of one of the patients accused the police of failing to cooperate, alleging that instead of offering assistance, personnel were asking people to leave the area. Seeking accountability, she questioned who would take responsibility for the tragedy.

Amid the chaos, 95-year-old Radha Devi, who was admitted to the ICU, emerged as an unlikely hero. After noticing smoke spreading inside the ward, she quickly sensed the danger, removed her oxygen mask, and made her way out to alert hospital staff.

Radha Devi said she informed a security guard after spotting the smoke. Her warning prompted hospital authorities and staff to act swiftly and begin evacuating patients from the affected area.

Local residents said Radha Devi’s alertness and timely action helped save several lives and prevented the situation from becoming even more disastrous.

Following the incident, the Bihar Fire Services Department went on high alert. Director General Shobha Ahotkar has directed hospitals and hotels across the state to strictly comply with fire safety norms, while inspections of such establishments have been initiated.