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Ten people died after a fire broke out in an intensive care ward treating coronavirus patients in Romania.
Seven others were seriously injured after the fire at Piatra Neamt County Hospital on Saturday.
Apart from one person, all those killed or injured are patients with COVID-19, according to emergency services spokesperson Irina Popa.
Firefighter stairs on the hospital wall.
Firefighters at the scene of the accident. Photo: AP
An on-call doctor tried to save patients from the fire and is in critical condition with first and second degree burns covering 80% of his body, according to hospital manager Lucian Micu.
Prosecutors have said they will open an investigation to find out the cause of the fire.
Romanian Health Minister Nelu Tataru told local media that the fire “was probably caused by a short circuit.”
He managed to burn down two rooms that housed 16 intensive care patients before it was turned off.
Patients are being transferred to other nearby hospitals.
The fire destroyed two rooms
Micu was appointed three weeks ago after the hospital’s previous manager resigned over poor treatment of patients.
It is the deadliest fire in the country since 2015, when a nightclub in Bucharest caught fire and killed 65 people.
The fire sparked mass protests across the country, with many saying there was a lack of accountability.
Piatra Neamt, in northeastern Romania, is about 220 miles from the capital, Bucharest.
