UPDATE 4 - Death toll from fire in COVID ward of Iraqi hospital rises to 72

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Haydar Karaalp, Mehmet Nuri Ucar and Ibrahim Salih

BAGHDAD (AA) – Eight more fatalities were recorded on Tuesday, pushing the death toll from a fire that engulfed Monday evening the COVID-19 isolation ward of a hospital in southern Iraq to 72, a government health official said.

This is the second incident of its kind in less than three months as a similar fire broke out at Ibn Al-Khatib Hospital in the capital Baghdad on April 24 as a result of oxygen cylinder explosion, killing 82 people and injuring 110 others.

The source, who preferred anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the deaths from the fire at Al-Hussein Hospital in Nasiriya city in Dhi Qar governorate include "30 unidentified bodies because of charring."

He noted that civil defense teams are looking for other possible bodies.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iraqi authorities put the death toll from the blaze at 64 along with 50 injuries.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi held an emergency meeting with ministers and security officials to discuss the fire, according to a statement from his press office.

Following the meeting, Dhi Qar Governor Ahmed al-Khafaji said in a statement that a high-level committee was formed to investigate the exact cause of the fire and to present a final report to the public within 48 hours.

A state of mourning has been declared in Dhi Qar governorate for those who lost their lives in the fire and official working hours were suspended for three days from Tuesday.

Earlier Monday, a fire broke out on the fourth floor of the Ministry of Health in central Baghdad.