Hospital fire, South Korea's deadliest in a decade, kills 41
At least 41 people were killed and 100 injured when a fire ripped through a hospital in South Korea's Miryang city. The toll is likely to rise as many remain critical. There were 200 patients inside the Sejong Hospital building and an adjacent nursing home when the blaze, South Korea's deadliest in 10 years, erupted. It's believed to have started in an emergency room.
Most victims died due to smoke inhalation
The fire started around 7:30am local time and was extinguished in three hours. The cause of the blaze is not yet known. Most victims died due to smoke inhalation, firefighters said. Ninety-four patients were safely rescued. Less than a month ago, a fire in a gym in Jecheon city left 29 dead, raising concerns about lax safety standards. Two were arrested.
No sprinklers installed in hospital due to its small size
Sejong Hospital has been operating since 2008. It has 98 beds and 35 medical workers in the six-storey building, with another 100 beds in the nursing home. However, there were no sprinklers installed in the hospital due to its small size, Chairman Son Kyung-chul said at a press conference. President Moon Jae-in has called an emergency meeting to discuss ways to deal with the fire.
