At least four people have lost their lives, and over 200 people were evacuated following a devastating fire that erupted near the mortuary of the San Giovanni Evangelista hospital in the Roman suburb of Tivoli late Friday night, CNN reported citing Italy’s fire brigade. The fire originated on the lower level, encompassing the mortuary, clinic, and kitchen areas at approximately 10:30 p.m. local time, rapidly spreading to the emergency room on the floor above.
Eyewitnesses present in the emergency room described a sudden power outage, followed by the swift engulfment of the entire wing in flames, according to Italian press reports cited by CNN.
As per CNN's report, two of the deceased succumbed to smoke inhalation, one suffered a heart attack, and the fourth victim perished due to burns. Tragically, additional bodies in the mortuary at the time also incurred burns, as confirmed by the fire brigade.
Among the evacuated were seven children and several newborns. A spokesperson from the hospital informed CNN affiliate Sky24 that 134 evacuees were relocated to nearby medical facilities.
Firefighters battled the flames for approximately five hours and will conduct a comprehensive search for additional victims once the structure has sufficiently cooled, the report mentioned. A spokesperson for the fire brigade identified potential causes for the fire, pointing to issues with the building's wiring and the presence of certain stored chemicals.
The hospital, an integral part of Rome's health system, traces its origins back to 1337.
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