Blaze in South Korean Hospital Has Left 41 Dead, More Than 70 Injured

photo credit - reuters_tickers

A fire in a South Korean hospital has killed about 41 people and injuring more than 70, officials on Friday reports. This is said to be the deadliest fire in South Korea in ten years as eight of those injured are said to being in critical condition.   

According to their news agency - Yonhap, following a fire last month that killed
29 people in a high rise sports center. 
President Moon Jae-in has convened an emergency meeting with top aides and called on the government to take “all necessary measures” to help those who has survived the incident.

The fire is said to have started at around 7.30 a.m. (2230 GMT) at the rear of the emergency room on the first floor of Sejong Hospital and was mostly extinguished after a few hours, Choi Man-woo, the head of Miryang city’s fire station, told a televised media briefing.

“Firefighters evacuated about 200 people from the main hospital building and nursing home directly behind the hospital”, Choi said.

“Most of those who died were on the first and second floors of the hospital,” Choi continues.
“There were no deaths from burns” he said, and officials were investigating the reason for the blaze.

News channel YTN showed black smoke billowing from the windows and entrance to the hospital and flames flickering earlier on Friday.

“Evacuated People from the hospital were being treated at four other hospitals nearby”, YTN said.