A fire broke out early Friday in a privately-run hospital treating coronavirus patients in western India, killing at least five of them and injuring 28 others.
Police officer K.N. Bhukan said fire engines restricted the blaze to one floor of the hospital and extinguished it within 30 minutes.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
The Press Trust of India news agency said the fire started in the intensive care unit of Uday Shivanand Hospital that was treating 33 coronavirus patients.
Some of the patients with fire burns were evacuated to another hospital in Rajkot, a city in western Gujarat state, nearly 1,100 kilometers ( 685 miles) southwest of New Delhi.
In August, a fire killed eight coronavirus patients in a hospital in Ahmedabad, another key city in Gujarat state.
Poor maintenance and lack of proper firefighting equipment often causes deaths in India.The fire is under control. The cause of the fire has not been ascertained yet. The rescued patients have been shifted to other COVID-19 hospitals, he added.
Municipal commissioner Aditya Agarwal said that chief minister Vijay Rupani has ordered an inquiry after being informed about the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed his deep pain at the loss of lives due to a fire in a Rajkot hospital and said administration is ensuring all possible assistance to those affected.
"Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to a hospital fire in Rajkot. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate tragedy. Praying for a quick recovery of the injured. The administration is ensuring all possible assistance to those affected," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting Modi.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also expressed shock over the death of COVID-19 patients
"Distressed to learn about the loss of lives in a fire that broke out in a COVID hospital at Rajkot, Gujarat. My condolences to the bereaved families & prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured," the Vice President Secretariat tweeted quoting Naidu.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court expressing its anguish over death of 5 patients said, "Processions are being taken out & 80 per cent people aren't wearing masks. Rest have masks hanging on to their jaw. There are SOPs & guidelines but there's no will.
In August, eight COVID-19 patients were killed after a fire broke out on the top
