Patna: A day after a devastating fire swept through the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital in Muzaffarpur, resulting in the deaths of six patients, the police arrested three hospital officials on Friday. The arrests include the doctor in charge of the ICU, the hospital’s maintenance head, and the administration head, as confirmed by Muzaffarpur City Superintendent of Police Mohibullah Ansari.
Investigation Underway
Ansari stated that the investigation is ongoing and further actions will be determined based on the findings. Authorities are awaiting reports to cross-check multiple factors behind the alleged lapses. These include whether safety audits were conducted properly, the presence of any structural flaws in the hospital building, and whether the ICU located on the fifth floor had the required safety arrangements in place.
“We will be examining if the fire audit was conducted or not, and whether the document provided was authentic or tampered with. If these discrepancies are found, even the owner will be arrested,” Ansari added.
Probe Committee Visit
A district administration official revealed that a five-member probe committee visited the hospital on Friday. The committee questioned staff members, attendants, and eyewitnesses to gather information. The panel was formed shortly after the incident to investigate the circumstances that led to the fire and to assess compliance with safety norms.
The Incident
The fire broke out in the ICU of Prasad Hospital in Muzaffarpur in the early hours of Thursday. Initially, officials reported five deaths. However, another patient succumbed to injuries in the early hours of Friday while undergoing treatment in Patna, raising the death toll to six.
At the time of the fire, 27 critically ill patients were admitted to the ICU on the hospital’s fifth floor. The same floor also housed a cardiac care unit. Rescue and evacuation efforts were promptly initiated after the fire was reported, and several patients were shifted to safety.
Focus of Investigation
Authorities have stated that the probe will concentrate on fire safety clearances, documentation submitted for compliance, and whether mandatory audits were conducted and recorded accurately. Investigators are also examining whether the ICU and associated critical care areas had functional fire prevention and response systems in place.
Officials have assured that accountability will be fixed after the completion of the inquiry and upon receipt of the relevant technical and administrative reports.
