Rabat – Iraq’s Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday that the tragic fire that broke out in the intensive care unit in a Baghdad hospital caused the death of 82.
Some of the victims were patients on ventilators due to COVID-19.
The fire, which broke out on Saturday night, also caused severe and relatively severe injuries among 110 others.
NPR reported that the fire was caused by the explosion of an oxygen cylinder.
Some of the victims died after health officials moved them off ventilators. Some others died after suffocating due to smoke, AFP said.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi fired several health officials; he attributed the fire to “negligence.”
“Negligence in such matters is not a mistake, but a crime for which all negligent parties must bear responsibility,” said the Iraqi prime minister.
The Iraqi government has also opened an investigation into the incident.
Meanwhile, the country’s head of government has suspended Health Minister Hassan al-Tamimi, but NGOs and activists are calling for his sacking.
Iraq‘s President Braham Saleh condemned the situation, describing it as a tragedy.
He said the incident is the result of “years of erosion of state institutions by corruption and mismanagement.”
