State Orders High-Level Inquiry After Hospital Blaze Kills Six

The death toll in the devastating fire at a private hospital in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, has risen to six, officials confirmed on Friday.

According to Muzaffarpur District Magistrate Subrat Kumar Sen, one of the patients rescued from the smoke-filled intensive care unit (ICU) later died while undergoing treatment at another healthcare facility.

The deceased has been identified as Brajnandan Rai, a resident of Kurhani block in Muzaffarpur district.

Sen said post-mortem examinations of the victims have been completed and the bodies handed over to their families. Following directions from Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, an ex gratia payment of ₹4 lakh has been provided to the next of kin of each deceased person.

To investigate the incident, the district administration has constituted a five-member inquiry committee tasked with examining all aspects of the tragedy and determining its cause.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police Kantesh Mishra said preliminary findings suggest that a short circuit may have triggered the fire. However, he emphasized that a detailed investigation is underway to establish the exact sequence of events.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and directed local authorities to ensure proper treatment and assistance for those injured in the incident.

State Health Minister Nishant Kumar also conveyed condolences to the affected families and announced a high-level inquiry. He stated that strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible for negligence or violations of safety norms.

The tragedy has once again highlighted concerns about fire safety standards in healthcare facilities, particularly in critical care units where patients may have limited ability to evacuate during emergencies.

Authorities are expected to submit a detailed report after completing the investigation.