Two Patients Died In Hospital Fire In Novgorod Region

Two women who were patients of the neurology department of Okulovo district hospital, Novgorod region (Northwest of Russia), died in the hospital's fire. According to the regional department of the fire-fighting service, the fire in the one-floor wooden building broke out about 2 a.m. on Friday. There were two medical wardens and 10 patients in the department at that time. In aggregate, more than 40 firemen and 7 special vehicles were involved in fighting the fire. Regrettably, people's death could not be averted: in one of the neurology department's wards two patients suffocated - they were disabled persons, who were unable to get out of their hospital beds. About 6 o'clock a.m. the fire was extinguished. According to the regional department of Russia's ministry of emergencies, the calamity's damage exceeded 300 thousand rubles (1 dollar = approximately 28.8 rubles). Experts who try to identify the fire's cause are working at the incident's site. - O - (VAS/lio) 11/05/01 11:34