An oxygen cylinder exploded at Ibn al-Khatib Hospital in the Iraqi capital, killing 82 patients as a result of a fire in the Corona ward. Mourning was declared in the country for three days after the accident.
According to Al Jazeera, firefighting operations were launched immediately after the crash and other staff at the hospital, including patients and their carers, were evacuated. More than 100 people were injured. Ahmed Zaki, who was present, said that when the fire broke out, people were jumping out of the windows. The fire was raging in the entire Corona unit.
A spokesman for the Iraqi Civil Defense said there were no firefighting arrangements at the hospital, which quickly engulfed the entire hospital, while patients had to be evacuated from ventilators, causing more casualties. The Prime Minister has ordered an inquiry and demanded a report.
