PATNA, June 5 -- Prasad Hospital, the private health facility in Muzaffarpur where a fire early Thursday claimed lives of five ICU patients did not participate in last month's fire safety assessment survey mandated by disaster management division of Union home ministry, officials said. The fire safety week was observed from May 4 to 10, during which the Bihar health department directed all medical college hospitals, district hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals in the state to undertake a fire safety assessment and upload details on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal of the Union health ministry based on a 25-point checklist. According to officials familiar with the matter, Prasad Hospital was among three health facilities in Muzaffarpur that registered for the assessment but failed to participate. The others were government-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital and district hospital in Muzaffarpur. Prasad Hospital, however, claimed that it had conducted the assessment but could not upload the information on the IHIP portal due to a technical glitch. SKMCH and the district hospital also cited similar issues for their failure to complete the process. As none of the three facilities could upload their assessment details, Muzaffarpur received a 'zero' score in the IHIP fire safety assessment despite the registrations, officials said. Officials added that none of the health facilities contacted the health department regarding the issue after the fire safety week concluded. The 25-point checklist for the assessment included parameters such as possession of a valid fire safety certificate and building licence, fire safety audit certification, details of previous fire incidents and corrective measures taken, six-metre-wide access roads and open spaces for crash fire tenders, unobstructed emergency exits, illuminated exit signage, alternate evacuation routes in ICUs and operation theatres and restrictions on storage of combustible materials in basements. Officials said Prasad Hospital had a valid fire safety licence that was due to expire on July 16 this year. The state health department's health system strengthening cell has been conducting continuous fire safety training programmes for staff from government-run district hospitals to community health centres since 2023. Though the Union home ministry initiated fire safety assessments of health facilities under its disaster management programme, officials said the portal is yet to be linked with fire safety audit mechanism of the fire services department. Fire safety officials said a preliminary inquiry indicated the blaze at Muzaffarpur hospital was triggered by an electrical short-circuit but could have been controlled if the few available staff responded promptly. "The hospital had portable foam-based fire extinguishers and a water sprinkler system in place, but only a handful of staff were present when the fire broke out. They panicked and fled. Since the ICU had oxygen and other combustible material, the fire spread rapidly and engulfed the hospital," an official said....