Hospital fire kills at least 41 people in South Korea

Image copyrightREUTERS

Image captionThe fire is South Korea's deadliest in a decade

At least 41 people have been killed and more than 70 injured in a fire at a hospital in South Korea.

The blaze is thought to have started in the emergency room at Sejong Hospital in the south-eastern city of Miryang.

About 200 patients were inside the building and an adjoining nursing home at the time.

It is South Korea's deadliest fire in almost a decade and the toll is expected to rise with several of the injured in critical condition.

Firefighters told the Yonhap news agency that the victims appeared to have died from smoke inhalation.

Image copyrightREUTERS

Image captionIt is not known yet what caused the fire

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionThe fire is thought to have started in an emergency room

Fire chief Choi Man-woo told reporters the cause of the fire was not yet known.

"The victims came both from the hospital and the nursing home. Some died on their way to another hospital," news agency AFP quoted him as saying.

Mr Choi said the fire started around 07:30 local time (22:30 GMT on Thursday) and was put out in about three hours.

According to Yonhap, 94 patients from the nursing home were safely evacuated from the building.

Pictures from the scene show the building engulfed by heavy grey smoke as well as patients being rescued.

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionThe cause of the fire is not yet known

South Korean President Moon Jae-in arranged an emergency meeting to discuss ways of dealing with the fire.

According to Yonhap news agency, senior officials from both the governing and the opposition parties travelled to Miryang to offer their condolences and call for a thorough investigation into what caused the tragedy.

"We hope that all-out efforts are made to prevent additional victims," Kim Hyun, the spokeswoman of the ruling Democratic Party, said according to Yonhap.

Image copyrightREUTERS

Image captionScores of patients were inside the building and a neighbouring nursing home

Miryang is about 270km (168 miles) south-east of the capital, Seoul.

The hospital has been operating since 2008. The nursing home and hospital between them have about 200 beds.

About 35 medical staff work at the hospital, according to provincial officials.

The fire comes just a month after 29 people in the South Korean city of Jecheonwere killed in a blaze at a public gym.

BBC News