At least four patients burned to death when a fire broke out at a private hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur. The incident occurred on Thursday morning, with 24 patients admitted to the hospital.
District magistrate Subrata Kumar Sen said a short circuit is suspected of causing the fire in the ICU's oxygen unit and the monitor system of the Prasad Hospital.
A team from the fire department rushed to the scene, breaking open doors and windows to reach the ICU and other wards, and moved the patients out of the smoke-filled building.
15-20 patients were rescued, with two dying on the spot. Officials said the ICU is on the fifth floor and the waiting hall on the fourth floor, making rescue work difficult.
Families of some patients claimed they have been unable to trace their kin, alleging that doctors and staff of the hospital fled the spot, leaving the patients on their own when the fire broke out.
Sen promised action over the negligence, with an investigation underway to find out the reason for the fire.
