Patna, June 4 (IANS) The tragic fire at Prasad Hospital in Muzaffarpur has now reached both the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Bihar State Human Rights Commission. Petitions have been filed seeking an independent investigation into the incident.

Five patients have so far died, and over 15 others were injured and shifted to government and private hospitals, as per official information, after the blaze erupted at around 3 a.m. on Thursday in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital situated on the fourth floor of Prasad Hospital, located in the Brahampura area of Muzaffarpur.

Approximately 13 patients were admitted to the ICU at the time when the fire broke out.

As flames and thick smoke spread through the ward, panic gripped the hospital premises, with patients, attendants, and medical staff scrambling to escape.

While several relatives managed to evacuate their family members, many patients trapped inside the ICU could not be rescued immediately.

Following the alert, fire brigade teams rushed to the hospital and launched rescue operations. After bringing the blaze under control, emergency personnel evacuated the remaining patients and shifted them to nearby hospitals through ambulances for further treatment.

The incident has sparked widespread concern over emergency preparedness and fire safety arrangements at private healthcare facilities.

Separate petitions have been filed before the National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi and the State Human Rights Commission in Patna, describing the incident as a grave human tragedy.

The petitions demanded an inquiry supervised by a retired judge, strict legal action against those found responsible, and a comprehensive fire and safety audit of all private hospitals across Bihar.

The petitions said that hospitals are places where people seek to save lives, and deaths occurring due to a fire inside a medical facility raise extremely serious questions about safety standards and accountability.

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives.

The Chief Minister has also directed the district administration to ensure proper medical care for all injured patients.

Muzaffarpur Municipal Commissioner Rituraj Pratap Singh stated that, following the directions of the District Magistrate, a five-member committee has been constituted, which has already begun the probe.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police Kantesh Kumar Mishra confirmed that a team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has also joined the investigation.

The portion of the hospital where the fire originated has been sealed, and investigators are questioning the hospital management and operators.

The SSP said that if any negligence or violation of safety norms is established during the probe, strict legal action will be taken against those responsible.

The District Magistrate has directed that fire safety audits be carried out across all government and private hospitals in Muzaffarpur district. The move aims to identify deficiencies in emergency preparedness and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The findings of the inquiry committee and the forensic investigation are expected to play a crucial role in determining the cause of the fire.

–IANS

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