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| South Korea hospital fire kills at least 37 in Miryang | South Korea hospital fire kills at least 37 in Miryang |
| (4 days later) | |
| At least 37 people have been killed and about 130 injured in a fire at a hospital in South Korea. | At least 37 people have been killed and about 130 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. | The blaze is thought to have started in the emergency room at Sejong Hospital in the south-eastern city of Miryang. |
| Nearly 200 patients were inside the building and an adjoining nursing home when the fire broke out in the morning. | Nearly 200 patients were inside the building and an adjoining nursing home when the fire broke out in the morning. |
| It is South Korea's deadliest fire in almost a decade and the death toll is expected to rise with several of the injured in critical condition. | It is South Korea's deadliest fire in almost a decade and the death toll is expected to rise with several of the injured in critical condition. |
| Firefighters said the victims appeared to have died from smoke inhalation. Three hospital medical staff - a doctor, nurse and nursing assistant - are among the victims. | Firefighters said the victims appeared to have died from smoke inhalation. Three hospital medical staff - a doctor, nurse and nursing assistant - are among the victims. |
| Authorities have given varying death tolls, with police earlier saying 41 had died. But the officials later corrected this, saying some victims were counted twice. | Authorities have given varying death tolls, with police earlier saying 41 had died. But the officials later corrected this, saying some victims were counted twice. |
| The fire completely gutted the hospital's first floor, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reports. | The fire completely gutted the hospital's first floor, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reports. |
| Miryang is about 270km (168 miles) south-east of the capital, Seoul. | Miryang is about 270km (168 miles) south-east of the capital, Seoul. |
| 'Falling over and screaming' | 'Falling over and screaming' |
| The hospital specialised in caring for elderly people with long-term needs, as well as other patients, reported the daily JoongAng Ilbo - and reports suggest many patients would have been too ill or old to escape alone. | The hospital specialised in caring for elderly people with long-term needs, as well as other patients, reported the daily JoongAng Ilbo - and reports suggest many patients would have been too ill or old to escape alone. |
| The paper quoted a surviving patient, Jang Yeong-jae, as saying that he was on the second floor when nurses screamed "Fire!" in the hallway and urged people to evacuate. | The paper quoted a surviving patient, Jang Yeong-jae, as saying that he was on the second floor when nurses screamed "Fire!" in the hallway and urged people to evacuate. |
| "But when I opened the exit door, the whole stairway was filled with dark smoke and I couldn't see a thing," he said. | "But when I opened the exit door, the whole stairway was filled with dark smoke and I couldn't see a thing," he said. |
| "Everybody was running around in panic, falling over and screaming as smoke filled the rooms." | "Everybody was running around in panic, falling over and screaming as smoke filled the rooms." |
| Mr Jang said he ripped open window screens and escaped down a ladder put up by firefighters. | Mr Jang said he ripped open window screens and escaped down a ladder put up by firefighters. |
| "There were so many elderly patients on other floors... I wonder if they escaped safely," Mr Jang's wife was quoted as saying. | "There were so many elderly patients on other floors... I wonder if they escaped safely," Mr Jang's wife was quoted as saying. |
| Fire chief Choi Man-woo told reporters the cause of the fire was not yet known. | Fire chief Choi Man-woo told reporters the cause of the fire was not yet known. |
| The hospital building did not have any fire sprinklers installed, local media said. | The hospital building did not have any fire sprinklers installed, local media said. |
| Under current laws, the building was not required to have sprinklers, but they were in the process of being fitted in the adjoining nursing home. | Under current laws, the building was not required to have sprinklers, but they were in the process of being fitted in the adjoining nursing home. |
| A new law that is due to come into force on 30 June will make sprinklers compulsory for nursing homes. | A new law that is due to come into force on 30 June will make sprinklers compulsory for nursing homes. |
| Mr Choi said the fire started around 07:30 local time (22:30 GMT on Thursday) and was put out in about three hours. | Mr Choi said the fire started around 07:30 local time (22:30 GMT on Thursday) and was put out in about three hours. |
| Ninety-four patients from the adjacent nursing home were safely evacuated. | Ninety-four patients from the adjacent nursing home were safely evacuated. |
| South Korean President Moon Jae-in arranged an emergency meeting to discuss ways of dealing with the fire. | South Korean President Moon Jae-in arranged an emergency meeting to discuss ways of dealing with the fire. |
| Senior officials from both governing and opposition parties travelled to Miryang to offer their condolences and call for a thorough investigation. | Senior officials from both governing and opposition parties travelled to Miryang to offer their condolences and call for a thorough investigation. |
| The hospital has been operating since 2008 and about 35 medical staff work there, according to provincial officials. | The hospital has been operating since 2008 and about 35 medical staff work there, according to provincial officials. |
| The fire comes just a month after 29 people in the South Korean city of Jecheon were killed in a blaze at a public gym. | The fire comes just a month after 29 people in the South Korean city of Jecheon were killed in a blaze at a public gym. |
| The owner and manager of the building were later arrested over multiple safety lapses, including malfunctioning sprinkler systems. | The owner and manager of the building were later arrested over multiple safety lapses, including malfunctioning sprinkler systems. |