At least 11 dead in Mumbai coronavirus hospital fire

Gulf Today Report

A fire killed at least 11 people on Friday in a building that housed a private hospital treating coronavirus patients in India’s financial capital of Mumbai, authorities said.

More than 70 patients were evacuated from the Sunrise Hospital to other hospitals in the city, local civic officials said, adding that the cause of the fire was being investigated.

It was not immediately clear whether any of those killed were COVID patients.

Firefighters move people towards a safer place after a fire broke out at a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hospital in Mumbai, India. Reuters

Firefighting crews were still working to control the blaze, which broke out early Friday, with 20 fire engines and ambulances at the scene, said an official at the fire services control room. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

An investigation has been opened into the cause of the fire.

Mumbai is struggling through the worst phase of its COVID-19 pandemic, and reported more than 5,500 cases in a day on Thursday, its highest number since the outbreak began.

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Meanwhile, India’s new coronavirus infections rose 59,118 overnight, the highest daily rise since Oct.18, health ministry data showed on Friday.

The country’s overall caseload stood at 11.85 million.

India reported 257 new deaths from coronavirus, taking the overall tally to 160,949, the data showed.