South Korea hospital hit by deadly fire

At least 31 people have been killed in a fire at a hospital in Miryang, south-east South Korea, say local media citing firefighters at the scene.

The fire is thought to have started in the emergency room at Sejong Hospital, which cares mostly for elderly people, said Yonhap news agency.

Reports say around 200 patients were inside the building and a neighbouring nursing home at the time.

Officials said about 40 people were injured, 11 critically.

Fire chief Choi Man-woo told reporters the cause of the fire was not yet known.

"The victims came both from the hospital and the nursing home. Some died on their way to another hospital," AFP quoted him as saying.

According to Yonhap, 93 patients from the nursing home managed were safely evacuated.

Pictures from the scene showed a building engulfed by heavy grey smoke as well as patients being rescued from the building.

The death toll is expected to rise further.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is currently holding an emergency meeting to discuss ways of dealing with the fire, said spokesman Cheong Wa Dae.

Miryang is about 270km (168 miles) from the capital, Seoul.

Last year, 29 people in the South Korean city of Jecheon were killed and many injured after a fire broke out at a public gym.

(BBC)