At least 37 dead in fire at South Korean hospital

A Friday morning fire at a hospital in South Korea killed at least 37 people and injured nearly 130 others. Choi Man-woo, chief of the Miryang fire department, said the blaze at Sejong Hospital started at the rear of the emergency room on the first floor. Fire officials put out the fire nearly three hours later before it reached the third floor. Authorities said 125 people sustained injuries, including 14 people still in serious condition. Choi said all the casualties came from the hospital’s general ward, while responders safely evacuated all 94 people from the nursing ward for the elderly. Son Kyung-cheol, head of the foundation that runs the hospital, said three of the dead include a doctor who worked in the emergency room and a nurse and nurse assistant from the second floor. Son said the hospital had no sprinklers, since it is not required by law. Choi said officials are still investigating what caused the fire. South Korean President Moon Jae-in called for an emergency meeting with senior advisers and asked officials to provide “all necessary measures” to assist survivors.