By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
A day after 21 people were burnt alive in a Delhi hotel inferno, at least five patients were killed and several others injured after a massive fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a private hospital in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district early Thursday, officials said.
The blaze erupted around 3 a.m. at Prasad Hospital in the Brahmapura area of the town and quickly spread through the ICU, filling the ward with dense smoke and triggering panic among patients and attendants. Firefighters and rescue teams rushed to the scene and launched an evacuation operation as flames started spreading.
Muzaffarpur officials said that five deaths had been recorded in the incident. Several injured patients were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, while authorities continued to assess the extent of the damage.
Officials said around 13 to 15 patients were undergoing treatment in the ICU when the fire broke out. Family members and hospital staff, assisted by emergency responders, helped move survivors to safety amid chaotic conditions.
Preliminary reports suggest that a short circuit may have triggered the fire, although the exact cause will be determined only after a detailed investigation. Authorities have ordered a probe into the incident and are examining whether fire safety norms were adequately followed by the hospital management.
The tragedy has once again raised serious concerns about fire safety standards in various buildings in the country.