At least 41 killed, 79 injured in S. Korea hospital fire

At least 41 people were killed and 79 others injured in a hospital fire in South Korea on Friday, Yonhap news agency reported, citing firefighters. However, the final number of casualties may still be higher.

The blaze broke out around 7:30 a.m. local time on the first floor of Sejong Hospital in Milyang city, some 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

According to firefighters, the fire which did not spread to other floors was extinguished in one hour and 40 minutes.

The victims seem to have died from inhaling toxic gas, the firefighters said, adding that nine people among the injured were seriously wounded.

When the incident took place, about 100 people were inside the main hospital building. 

A total of 111 staff and patients have been transferred to nearby hospitals and 94 patients from a nursing home directly behind the hospital evacuated safely.

The search and rescue operation is still underway, but the cause of the fire is currently unknown.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in held an emergency meeting with his aides to discuss the measures to deal with the deadly fire, which is the worst in the country since 2008.

The tragedy came only one month after 29 people were killed and several injured in a public gym fire in Jecheon city. (Updated)