Fire in Indian hospital COVID-19 ward kills 11 patients

NEW DELHI (AP) — Police in western India say 11 patients have died after a fire broke out in a hospital’s COVID-19 ward. There were 17 patients in the ward where the fire started Saturday. Police say the remaining six patients are now in stable condition. While the fire has been brought under control, the cause is not immediately clear. Such incidents are not uncommon in India. In May, when the country was battling a devastating surge in coronavirus cases, a fire in a COVID-19 ward in western India killed at least 18 patients. Poor maintenance and lack of proper firefighting equipment often cause deaths in India.