At least 9 people killed in fire at Qaem Hospital in Rasht

Reports from Iranian news agencies indicate that at least 9 people lost their lives in a fire at the private Qaem Hospital in Rasht. The 250-bed hospital caught fire at 1:13 AM on Tuesday, June 18. Sadegh Niyarki, the head of the Gilan province judiciary, told Islamic Republic television that following the incident, eight individuals who were hospitalized in the ICU lost their lives, and 120 injured persons were admitted to other medical facilities. It was later reported that the death toll had risen to 9. Mohammad Taghi Ashoubi, the head of Gilan University of Medical Sciences, stated that around 140 patients were hospitalized at the time of the fire. The head of the Rasht Fire Department and Safety Services also mentioned that the fire started from the basement, but did not specify the cause of the incident. Reports indicate that the fire was extinguished after three hours. Bahram Einollahi, the Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, attributed the cause of the incident to 'a short circuit near the ICU' and stated that 'if there is any negligence, it will be reported to the judicial authorities.' Last November, a fire at the 'First Step to Freedom' addiction treatment center in Langroud, Gilan province, resulted in 36 fatalities.