Bihar hospital fire: 3 dead, ICU chief gravely injured, families allege staff fled the scene
Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have originated from a short circuit at the oxygen unit and monitor system, though the exact cause is yet to be officially confirmed
- Jun 4, 2026,
- Updated Jun 4, 2026 7:33 AM IST
Less than 24 hours after a deadly hotel fire in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, another hospital fire has claimed lives. A blaze broke out at Prasad Hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district in the early hours of the morning, killing at least three people and injuring more than 20 others. Thick, toxic smoke rapidly engulfed large sections of the building, sending the hospital into chaos as emergency teams scrambled to evacuate patients.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have originated from a short circuit at the oxygen unit and monitor system, though the exact cause is yet to be officially confirmed. Critically ill patients have been shifted to nearby hospitals, and authorities are working to verify the condition of all those who were moved.
Subrat Kumar Sen, the District Magistrate, confirmed the deaths and said efforts were underway to account for all patients who had been admitted at the time. Family members of some patients told authorities they had been unable to locate their relatives in the aftermath of the blaze.
"The ICU in-charge of the hospital is also gravely injured. He is also admitted to a nearby hospital. We have to confirm the proper data about how many lives are lost. Currently, we have identified three as dead," Sen said.
On the cause, he added: "At first look, it seems like a short circuit at the oxygen unit and the monitor system. An investigation is underway. We will carry out the necessary procedure to find out the real reason for the fire breakout."
The Civil Surgeon reached the hospital to oversee relief operations and coordinate medical assistance.
Staff missing when help arrived
Fire Officer RN Pandey said the fire control room received information about the blaze at around 3 am. By the time firefighters reached the hospital, the ICU was completely engulfed in thick smoke. Pandey further stated that most hospital employees were absent from the scene when rescue teams arrived, a detail that has fuelled serious allegations from affected families.
One family member claimed that his father, who had been admitted to the ICU, died in the fire. He alleged that the hospital authorities failed to hand over the body and that several staff members had disappeared from the premises after the incident broke out.
Less than 24 hours after a deadly hotel fire in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, another hospital fire has claimed lives. A blaze broke out at Prasad Hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district in the early hours of the morning, killing at least three people and injuring more than 20 others. Thick, toxic smoke rapidly engulfed large sections of the building, sending the hospital into chaos as emergency teams scrambled to evacuate patients.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have originated from a short circuit at the oxygen unit and monitor system, though the exact cause is yet to be officially confirmed. Critically ill patients have been shifted to nearby hospitals, and authorities are working to verify the condition of all those who were moved.
Subrat Kumar Sen, the District Magistrate, confirmed the deaths and said efforts were underway to account for all patients who had been admitted at the time. Family members of some patients told authorities they had been unable to locate their relatives in the aftermath of the blaze.
"The ICU in-charge of the hospital is also gravely injured. He is also admitted to a nearby hospital. We have to confirm the proper data about how many lives are lost. Currently, we have identified three as dead," Sen said.
On the cause, he added: "At first look, it seems like a short circuit at the oxygen unit and the monitor system. An investigation is underway. We will carry out the necessary procedure to find out the real reason for the fire breakout."
The Civil Surgeon reached the hospital to oversee relief operations and coordinate medical assistance.
Staff missing when help arrived
Fire Officer RN Pandey said the fire control room received information about the blaze at around 3 am. By the time firefighters reached the hospital, the ICU was completely engulfed in thick smoke. Pandey further stated that most hospital employees were absent from the scene when rescue teams arrived, a detail that has fuelled serious allegations from affected families.
One family member claimed that his father, who had been admitted to the ICU, died in the fire. He alleged that the hospital authorities failed to hand over the body and that several staff members had disappeared from the premises after the incident broke out.