Iraq Hospital Fire Kills 52 Covid Patients 

In a horrific incident, a massive fire engulfed the Covid-19 isolation ward of Al-Hussein hospital in the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah on Monday. Around 52 people died and 22 were injured in the fire, a health official said. The fire was brought under control by local civil defence forces.

A medical source revealed that the main reason behind the fire was the explosion of oxygen tanks. The victims died of burns, the officials said. While the ward had space for 70 beds and as many fear that there were more bodies trapped inside, the search for the bodies is continuing, they added.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi held an emergency meeting with ministers and security heads to "find out the causes" of the fire, his office tweeted Tuesday. Dhi Qar's health chief and the hospital's head were detained and questioned by police, his office said.

This is the second deadly fire accident in Iraq in three months. The fire prompted furious calls on social media for the resignation of top officials.

A state of emergency was imposed in Dhi Qar governorate and the local authorities ordered doctors on leave to help treat the victims of the fire accident.

As per sources, the Iraqi health authorities have just completed full vaccination for only one per cent of the country since the coronavirus vaccination began in March.