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South Korea hospital hit by deadly fire | South Korea hospital hit by deadly fire |
(35 minutes later) | |
At least 31 people have been killed in a fire at a hospital in Miryang, south-east South Korea, say local media citing firefighters at the scene. | |
The fire is thought to have started in the emergency room at Sejong Hospital, which cares mostly for elderly people, said Yonhap news agency. | |
Reports say around 200 patients were inside the building and a neighbouring nursing home at the time. | |
Officials said about 40 people were injured, 11 critically. | |
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," AFP quoted him as saying. | "The victims came both from the hospital and the nursing home. Some died on their way to another hospital," AFP quoted him as saying. |
According to Yonhap, 93 patients from the nursing home managed were safely evacuated. | |
Pictures from the scene showed a building engulfed by heavy grey smoke as well as patients being rescued from the building. | |
The death toll is expected to rise further. | |
South Korean President Moon Jae-in is currently holding an emergency meeting to discuss ways of dealing with the fire, said spokesman Cheong Wa Dae. | |
Miryang is about 270km (168 miles) from the capital, Seoul. | Miryang is about 270km (168 miles) from the capital, Seoul. |
Last year, 29 people in the South Korean city of Jecheon were killed and many injured after a fire broke out at a public gym. |