UPDATE: The prosecutor investigating the case announced seven people died in the fire, two of them after being transferred to other hospitals, News.ro reported. He called the previous reporting “erroneous.” Interior Affairs Minister Lucian Bode also announced seven patients died.

Initial news: 

Nine patients died in a fire that broke out on Friday, October 1, at the Covid-19 intensive care unit of the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Constanţa, a city on the Black Sea coast, the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) announced, quoted by Agerpres.

The fire was put out, and the hospital evacuated, IGSU said. The medical authorities are working to send the evacuated patients to hospitals in the county.

A mobile medical unit to triage patients was set up on the premises. 

Teams of ISU Constanţa, ISU Călăraşi, ISU Ialomiţa and ISU Galaţi are working on site.

A total of 113 patients were admitted to the hospital, ten of them to the intensive care unit, the Health Ministry said.

An investigation was opened to determine the causes of the fire.

Several fires broke out at hospitals in the country over the past year, many at overstretched units treating Covid-19 patients. In November of last year, nine patients died after a fire destroyed the intensive care (ATI) section of the county hospital in Piatra Neamt, in northeastern Romania. In January 2021, five patients died after a fire at the Matei Bals Institute in Bucharest, one of Romania's largest hospitals, also treating Covid-19 patients. In April, three patients died after the oxygen supply in the mobile intensive care unit organized to extend the capacity of the Victor Babeș Hospital in Bucharest broke down. 

(Photo: Costin Dinca/ Inquam Photos)

simona@romania-insider.com