Iran condoles with Iraq over deadly blaze at Baghdad hospital

Iran has extended condolences to the Iraqi government and nation after scores of people were killed and injured when a huge fire broke out inside a coronavirus intensive care unit of a hospital in the capital Baghdad.

The fire sparked by an oxygen tank explosion killed at least 82 people and injured 110 at the hospital treating COVID-19 patients, an Interior Ministry spokesman said on Sunday, revising up the earlier casualty count.

"I extend my sincere condolences to the brotherly government and people of Iraq and the families of the victims of the painful and tragic incident at Ibn Khatib Hospital in Baghdad. I ask God Almighty for mercy for the martyrs of this incident and immediate healing for the wounded," he wrote in an Arabic tweet.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh also offered condolences to the Iraqi government and people, especially the families of the victims.

"We urgently need to review safety measures at all hospitals to prevent such a painful incident from happening in future,” the Iraqi ministry spokesman Khalid al-Muhanna told state television, announcing the toll.

The fire erupted on Saturday at the Ibn Khatib hospital in the Diyala Bridge area.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi declared three days of national mourning.

"Such an incident is evidence of negligence and therefore I directed that an investigation be launched immediately and for the hospital's manager and the heads of security and maintenance to be detained along with all those concerned until we identify those negligent and hold them accountable," he said in a statement.

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