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| Russia hospital fire kills 37 in Novgorod region | Russia hospital fire kills 37 in Novgorod region |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Thirty-seven people have died in a fire that engulfed a psychiatric hospital in north-western Russia, officials say. | Thirty-seven people have died in a fire that engulfed a psychiatric hospital in north-western Russia, officials say. |
| The blaze occurred in the village of Luka, in Novgorod region. The timber-built hospital housed some 60 people. | The blaze occurred in the village of Luka, in Novgorod region. The timber-built hospital housed some 60 people. |
| A nurse who tried to guide patients to safety was among the dead, Russian media report. So far 22 bodies have been recovered at the scene. | |
| The fire broke out just before 03:00 local time (23:00 GMT Thursday). A patient smoking may have started it. | The fire broke out just before 03:00 local time (23:00 GMT Thursday). A patient smoking may have started it. |
| Officials had previously ordered the building to be closed because of safety concerns. | Officials had previously ordered the building to be closed because of safety concerns. |
| The fire started in the male ward and spread quickly through the single-storey Oksochi hospital, emergency ministry officials say. TV pictures later showed the gutted building. | The fire started in the male ward and spread quickly through the single-storey Oksochi hospital, emergency ministry officials say. TV pictures later showed the gutted building. |
| "Medical personnel saw a patient who was shrouded in flames. It's possible that he was smoking in bed and the mattress caught fire," regional governor Sergei Mitin told Russia's Interfax news agency. | "Medical personnel saw a patient who was shrouded in flames. It's possible that he was smoking in bed and the mattress caught fire," regional governor Sergei Mitin told Russia's Interfax news agency. |
| He added that the ward housed severely ill patients. | He added that the ward housed severely ill patients. |
| The patients and staff had been ordered to move to a new building by August 2014 because the timber hospital was unsafe. | |
| Forest searched | Forest searched |
| Twenty-three people managed to flee the blaze. A senior investigator from the ministry for emergencies, Yuri Deshevykh, said the fire alarm had worked, triggering an evacuation. | |
| The fire was extinguished overnight, and hundreds of rescuers are searching the nearby forest, hoping to find any survivors who may have taken refuge there. | |
| A criminal investigation is now under way for "causing death by negligence". | A criminal investigation is now under way for "causing death by negligence". |
| Several fires at state institutions across Russia in recent years resulted in heavy loss of life. | Several fires at state institutions across Russia in recent years resulted in heavy loss of life. |
| In April, a blaze at another psychiatric hospital near Moscow killed 38 people. | In April, a blaze at another psychiatric hospital near Moscow killed 38 people. |
| In 2009, 23 people died at an old people's home in the north-west Komi region, while in 2007, 63 were killed at a home in Krasnodar, southern Russia. | In 2009, 23 people died at an old people's home in the north-west Komi region, while in 2007, 63 were killed at a home in Krasnodar, southern Russia. |
| In 2006, a fire at a Moscow drug rehabilitation clinic killed 45 women. | In 2006, a fire at a Moscow drug rehabilitation clinic killed 45 women. |