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India hospital fire kills 18 Covid patients

International Desk
01 May 2021 09:51:44 | Update: 01 May 2021 10:27:58
India hospital fire kills 18 Covid patients

At least 18 coronavirus patients died after a fire broke out at a hospital in Gujarat's Bharuch, India in the early hours on Saturday, reports Hindustan Times.

There were around 50 other patients at the four-storeyed Welfare Hospital when the fire broke out in the Covid-19 ward at 1 am. They were rescued by locals and firefighters, the report said citing an official.

"As per information at 6.30 am, the death toll in the tragedy stood at 18. Immediately after the fire, we had confirmation of 12 deaths," a police official told PTI.

The 12 patients in the Covid-19 ward died due to the fire and resultant smoke, Bharuch SP Rajendrasinh Chudasama said.

It is not clear if the remaining six also died in the Welfare hospital or while being shifted to other hospitals.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the official said.

The fire was controlled within an hour and around 50 patients were rescued by locals as well as firefighters, a fire official said. They were shifted to nearby hospitals, he added.

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