MUZAFFARPUR: At least three people were killed in a fire that broke out in the ICU of a private hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district early on Thursday, a senior official said.
The blaze erupted at Prasad Hospital in the Brahmpura area, and quickly spread through the intensive care unit (ICU), filling it with dense smoke.
Muzaffarpur DM Subrat Kumar Sen said, "We received information about the fire early in the morning. At least three people have died in the incident."
Around 13 to 15 patients were being treated in the ICU, who have now been shifted to other hospitals by their family members, he told reporters.
"We are trying to reach out to the kin of the deceased and other patients. The fire has been brought under control," the officer said.
Prima facie, the fire appears to have resulted from a short circuit, Sen said, adding that the exact cause of the blaze can be ascertained only after detailed investigation.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary described the incident as "extremely tragic" and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
"Instructions have been issued to immediately provide an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the families of each deceased. The local administration is fully alert, and adequate arrangements have been made in district hospitals for the treatment of the injured," he posted on X.
The hospital management said it was cooperating with the administration and that an inquiry had been initiated into the incident.