(AP): At least nine people have died after an oxygen cylinder exploded at an intensive care unit (ICU) treating coronavirus patients in southern Turkey, the health minister said.
According to details, the fire took place at the privately-run Sanko University Hospital unit in Gaziantep 850 kilometres southeast of Istanbul. The state news agency informed that the victims were between 56 and 85, however, the fire was quickly brought under control.
The hospital, in a statement, informed that almost 14 patients undergoing intensive care treatment were transferred to other hospitals. An investigation is underway.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted that nine people were killed in the fire, raising the earlier estimate of eight dead by the hospital and the Gaziantep governor’s office. There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy.
Intensive care units across Turkey currently have a 74 percent bed occupancy rate due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to government figures, although medical associations informed that the figure is higher and their hospitals are overrun with COVID-19 patients.
Earlier on Friday, Turkey reported hit a record daily high of 246 COVID-19-related deaths with an overall reported coronavirus death toll of 17,610.
Last month, a fire at a hospital in Romania killed 10 patients receiving treatment for COVID-19. Reports suggested that a medical appliance caught fire, igniting a nearby oxygen cylinder.
