Explosion Kills Nine Coronavirus Patients In Turkish Hospital
An explosion has killed nine people at a hospital treating coronavirus patients in the south of Turkey.
The blast occurred after an oxygen ventilator exploded at the Sanko University Hospital in Gaziantep. A fire quickly ensued in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
All nine of the victims were aged between 56 and 85, the hospital confirmed.
At least one of the patients died while being transferred to another hospital, BBC News reports.
No injuries have been reported in relation to the fire, which was quickly put out.
An investigation is now being carried out to determine the cause of the explosion. The Gaziantep governor’s office said patients that were being treated on the ward have been transferred to other, nearby hospitals.
Its statement said authorities ‘have taken the necessary measures’, and offered condolences to the families of the victims.
Turkey’s health minister, Fahrettin Koca, confirmed the death toll on Twitter.
He said: ‘The painful incident that occurred in the intensive care unit in Gaziantep upset us all. Number of deaths is nine. Other patients affected by the fire were transferred to nearby hospitals by our 112 emergency teams.’
He added: ‘Our concerned authorities have taken the necessary measures and investigations continue. We wish Allah’s mercy upon our citizens who lost their lives in the incident and [offer] our condolences to their grieving families.’
6 months agoIbrahim Kalin, a spokesperson for the Turkish President wished ‘urgent healing to the wounded’ in a tweet. He added: ‘Get well soon, Gaziantep.’
According to Johns Hopkins University, which tracks and records coronavirus cases globally, Turkey has recorded nearly two million cases of the virus, and 17,610 deaths.
In November, 10 coronavirus patients were killed at a hospital in Romania after a fire broke out. According to reports, a medical appliance caught fire and ignited a nearby oxygen cylinder.
One of the hospital’s doctors, Dr Catalin Denciu, was praised for his heroic courage and spirit of sacrifice after he suffered severe burns trying to save patients from the fire.
Romani’s President, Klaus Iohannis, said the fire, which killed seven men and three women aged between 67 and 86, was a ‘huge tragedy’.
He said an investigation into the cause was important to ‘avoid similar situations in the future’.
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