NEW DELHI: At least four people have died, and multiple others injured, after a massive fire broke out at an intensive care ward in a hospital in the eastern Indian state of Bihar.
According to Indian media, the blaze broke out shortly before 4am on Thursday (June 4) in the Prasad Hospital, located in the city of Muzaffarpur.
The death toll is expected to rise.
More than 20 patients were in the hospital when the incident occurred, with 13 of them in the intensive care unit.
An official from the city’s fire department said that about 15 people were evacuated, with other patients moved to nearby hospitals.
Efforts by firemen then brought the inferno under control.
Investigations are ongoing, but primary reports suggest that the fire broke out due to a short circuit.
This comes a day after a fire at a hotel in New Delhi killed 21 people.
Indian police have arrested the owner as investigators probe safety failures.
Lavkesh Bajaj, the hotel owner, was caught late on June 3, just hours after the blaze gutted the building, killing at least nine Indians and several foreigners.
Two foreigners have so far been identified – one a citizen of Liberia and another from Mozambique.
Building fires in India are common due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.
People trapped on upper floors were seen jumping onto mattresses below as the fire ripped through the Flourish Stay hotel in a densely packed neighbourhood of the city.
Several residents were taken to hospital suffering from severe burns, as well as fractured bones after leaping into the street. - AFP
