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Two Dead In Fire At Russian Hospital Treating COVID-19 Patients

Updated

Two people have been killed in a fire in the intensive care unit of a hospital treating COVID-19 patients in Russia's southern city of Astrakhan, the TASS news agency and Ria Novosti reported on December 24, citing a source in the emergency rescue services.

TASS said the fire had been already extinguished.

In a statement, Russia's Emergencies Ministry said there were casualties but gave no additional details.

Several local media outlets reported that a short circuit in a lamp was suspected as the cause of the fire.

No problems were found with the ventilators, the reports said.

With reporting by Reuters and dpa

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