A fire at the intensive care unit treating Covid-19 patients in southern Turkey after an oxygen cylinder blast on Saturday has reportedly killed nine people.
The state-run Anadolu news agency said the fire took place at the privately-run Sanko University Hospital unit in Gaziantep, 530 miles southeast of Istanbul.
A hospital statement identified the victims as being between 56 and 85. It said 14 patients undergoing intensive care treatment were transferred to other hospitals and an investigation has been launched into the incident.
Turkey’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted that nine people were killed in the fire. The Gaziantep governor’s office said 19 patients were in the unit when a “high pressure oxygen device” exploded at 4:45 a.m. (0145GMT).