Iraq PM suspends health minister after fire kills 82 at Iraqi Covid Hospital

Baghdad, April 26: Iraq special cabinet meeting suspended Iraq Health Minister Hassan al-Tamimi after at least 82 people died in the huge hospital fire Saturday night in the capital city of Baghdad. The fire was believed to have started after oxygen tanks exploded.

 

Cabinet session, chaired by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi also suspended Baghdad Governor Muhammad Jaber and referred for investigations. It added that a commission chaired by Interior Minister Othman Al-Ghanimi was set up to investigate the deadly fire at Ibn Al-Khatib hospital and hold those responsible accountable.

 

 

 

They also fired the director-general of the Baghdad health department in the al-Rusafa area, where the hospital is located, and the hospital’s director of engineering and maintenance.The Iraqi PM said, “Negligence in such matters is not a mistake, but a crime for which all negligent parties must bear responsibility”.

 

 

According to the Interior Ministry, the fire at the Ibn al-Khatib hospital in the capital Baghdad late Saturday claimed the lives of 82 and injured 110 others. According to local media, the fire was caused by the explosion of oxygen tanks at the hospital, where coronavirus patients were being treated.

 

The Iraqi government declared three days of national mourning for the victims of the fire.

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