Hospital fire kills COVID-19 patients in northeastern Romania

Ten COVID-19 patients in serious condition were killed in a fire erupted late Saturday in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Piatra Neamt County Hospital in northeastern Romania, confirmed Health Minister Nelu Tataru.

“Eight patients died as a result of the fire, and the other two later in the Emergency Department, due to respiratory failure,” explained the minister, who visited the hospital in Piatra Neamt, about 350 km from the capital Bucharest, soon after the incident.

Irina Popa, spokesperson of the local Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, told local media after the fire was extinguished that 16 patients were in the two COVID-19 emergency wards when the fire broke out.

“Seven people are in critical condition, including the doctor on duty,” said the spokesperson.

The rescued patients are being sent to two hospitals in neighboring Iasi County for treatment, according to the local authorities.