Eight die in fire in Turkish hospital - governor

The fire, which mainly affected a children's ward and the intensive care unit, broke out overnight due to an electrical fault in the hospital's scanner department but was quickly put out, Bursa Gov. Sahabettin Harput told reporters.

He said it was not clear whether the eight victims, three of them female, died of smoke inhalation or when life support machines were left without power during the fire at the Sevket Yilmaz state hospital in the Yildirim district.

Forty-four people were evacuated from the hospital and sent for treatment at 10 other hospitals, Harput said. Several other patients suffered from smoke inhalation but all were in stable condition, authorities said.

Health Minister Recep Akdag later told reporters at the scene two inspectors from the ministry and the officials from the Public Prosecutor’s Office were conducting investigation into the incident.

He added the cause of the blaze would be determined after the investigation.