Bihar's Fire Services and Home Guards Director General Shobha Ahotkar on Thursday issued a stern warning that both private and government hospitals, as well as hotels across the state, will be sealed if they fail to comply with fire safety regulations. The directive follows a deadly blaze at Prasad Hospital in Muzaffarpur that killed at least five patients and left more than 15 others injured.

The Muzaffarpur Hospital Fire

The fire at Prasad Hospital in Muzaffarpur triggered the statewide crackdown. According to Ahotkar, fire personnel reached the scene within four minutes of receiving the alert and successfully evacuated 23 patients from the ICU ward. She confirmed that no patient suffered burn injuries — the deaths were caused by smoke inhalation.

The DG directly attributed the fatalities to the conduct of hospital staff. 'The hospital staff ran away as soon as the fire broke out, due to which those patients died due to smoke inhalation,' she said. Most of the victims were on ventilators and oxygen support at the time, making evacuation without staff assistance impossible.

Fire Audit Status and Sealing Notices

Ahotkar disclosed that approximately 7,500 fire audits of private and government hospitals have already been completed across Bihar. Notices to seal non-compliant hospitals and hotels have already been issued, with a compliance deadline in place. 'They have been given some time within which, if they don't comply, the properties will be sealed,' she stated.

The fire audit at Prasad Hospital itself was last conducted in November of the previous year. Officials indicated they would now assess how much of the audit's recommendations had actually been implemented by the hospital management.

New Compliance Directives for Hospitals and Hotels

All private hospital owners in Bihar have been directed to submit an 'electrical load analysis' certificate within one week. The DG explained that short circuits are identified as the primary cause of hospital fires, making load analysis a critical preventive measure. Government electrical engineers are embedded in fire audit teams for this purpose.

Mandatory requirements flagged during hospital audits include installation of sprinkler units in ICU wards, placement of fire extinguishers at required points, and deployment of all prescribed firefighting equipment. 'Action will be taken against those who don't comply,' Ahotkar asserted.

Hotels have been brought under the same campaign. Each hotel must submit a certificate within a week declaring the number of LPG cylinders stored on the premises. Inspection teams will cross-check declared figures against actual stock, and any mismatch will attract strict action against the owner.

What Comes Next

With sealing orders already issued against select non-compliant establishments, the Bihar fire department's enforcement push is moving from audit to action. The outcome of compliance checks over the coming week will determine how many hospitals and hotels face closure — and whether the tragedy at Muzaffarpur becomes a turning point in how Bihar enforces fire safety at critical infrastructure.