Taipei, Oct 23: Taiwanese officials say a midnight fire at a hospital and nursing home has killed 12 elderly patients and injured 70 others.
Hospital staff says the 12 patients died of smoke inhalation early on Tuesday as the fire ripped through the nursing home, located on the second floor of the hospital.
The fire was put out in 40 minutes and rescuers quickly evacuated the patients.
Many of them were later treated at nearby hospitals for burns or smoke inhalation.
Head of the city's fire department, Li Ming-fung, said most of the victims were bedridden - and insufficiently mobile to enable them to escape.
"On the second floor, we have terminally-ill patients, most of whom are not mobile. And on the 5th floor, we have mentally-ill patients," he said.
But he added 115 patients had been rescued in total.
Hsinying Hospital is located in southern Taiwan and run by the Health Ministry.
Officials said they would investigate the cause of the fire.
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