![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JFNTCHQ5FNKF3C6HWGAWY5JZII.jpg?smart=true&auth=703641e653801dc54c7456b284f09c078a71021df8dac97111e18351d6c2c27f&width=400&height=225)
'I heard a big explosion inside the coronavirus wards and then fire erupted very quickly,' said Ali Muhsin, a hospital guard who helped to carry injured patients away from the fire.
A fire ripped through and destroyed a Covid-19 unit at a hospital in Nasiriyah, Iraq.
More than 90 people died in the fire that destroyed much of a hospital in Nasiriyah, Iraq.
The exact cause of the blaze at Al Hussein hospital is not clear, but local media reports suggested it broke out after an oxygen tank exploded.
Witnesses described fire crews battling the blaze in a Covid-19 ward as it spread quickly through the building.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MVKEE5HW25AXXE3U422RBWVWQY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ee178c95fedfdc446e449d1c05b872013c73f46b505624bc076ee566cfcc78d6&width=400&height=225)
A view of the damage caused by the fire at Al Hussein hospital in Nasiriyah.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GBVPELXUOHSCLETBGCXBAP4YGM.jpg?smart=true&auth=3c48183bbe4242518b5d8f3c338cec912792ee471f050b3c8be0f1dce18148ec&width=400&height=225)
People inspect the damage after a fire at a hospital in the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq. At least 92 people were killed while dozens were injured.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HGWSJHXKSW7MQX7BF477GCGLEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=9d8086eb4a2a70c9dbebf9ac82aeaccd4bb2533e3b49b707a10160fc64a09fe7&width=400&height=225)
Initial police reports suggest an oxygen tank explosion in the hospital's Covid-19 ward caused the fire.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/D5TTEMIHPUOF276UVNO2NCH7RI.jpg?smart=true&auth=6679793299a7bea7573cfe1e0f10f6ce1c79edc05f5d8077dcc262a773b0063d&width=400&height=225)
Health sources said the death toll could rise because many patients were still missing.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MZL233XZACDU2RFQ43RSTPZ2VU.jpg?smart=true&auth=eefca6670e273c98a1bbe0cdb9706484ebdba368761510bf9108a775b77a9a66&width=400&height=225)
Angry relatives of patients gathered in front of the hospital where they clashed with police.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TPGXD57EAFLCVGLQ3JMBCD3P44.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff2d22225cee96e570b71175322c919dca20f4e836f0d7a69bffb9ece7473f44&width=400&height=225)
Iraqi President Barham Salih condemned the corruption and mismanagement that he said led to the catastrophe.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VYV72L2VCGXLWV5MOAGAM3V5KU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d9fe03012553f196be1fdf51b17dd1bcee6332397d33f4f1575b5dcc5a3bffc6&width=400&height=225)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi ordered the suspension and arrest of health and civil defence managers.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NTH22LELTHQCENDBY4X6GE4NF4.jpg?smart=true&auth=97ed71a72c00d84a9c0d64865f4f1265a726400b4848a230abc24faf0ba14421&width=400&height=225)
Iraq's healthcare system is struggling to cope with the coronavirus crisis, which has killed 17,592 people and infected more than 1.4 million.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TSRC6E5B77RK2WH3Q6ENDQXKRE.jpg?smart=true&auth=aebc907d61d2f03c0a226a60b8522402170665ba46a48ae81dd9fc6e965a64a4&width=400&height=225)
There is little left to salvage after the catastrophic blaze.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LPMWL2L2FVVMYYQSIRG7F7AK2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=cedafd469f18cf77421aa42a54ef3eb6ffc7ff307814de0b58aa579988ae707c&width=400&height=225)
Search operations continued after the fire was brought under control, but thick smoke made work difficult.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JFNTCHQ5FNKF3C6HWGAWY5JZII.jpg?smart=true&auth=703641e653801dc54c7456b284f09c078a71021df8dac97111e18351d6c2c27f&width=400&height=225)
'I heard a big explosion inside the coronavirus wards and then fire erupted very quickly,' said Ali Muhsin, a hospital guard who helped to carry injured patients away from the fire.
A fire ripped through and destroyed a Covid-19 unit at a hospital in Nasiriyah, Iraq.
More than 90 people died in the fire that destroyed much of a hospital in Nasiriyah, Iraq.
The exact cause of the blaze at Al Hussein hospital is not clear, but local media reports suggested it broke out after an oxygen tank exploded.
Witnesses described fire crews battling the blaze in a Covid-19 ward as it spread quickly through the building.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MVKEE5HW25AXXE3U422RBWVWQY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ee178c95fedfdc446e449d1c05b872013c73f46b505624bc076ee566cfcc78d6&width=400&height=225)
A view of the damage caused by the fire at Al Hussein hospital in Nasiriyah.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GBVPELXUOHSCLETBGCXBAP4YGM.jpg?smart=true&auth=3c48183bbe4242518b5d8f3c338cec912792ee471f050b3c8be0f1dce18148ec&width=400&height=225)
People inspect the damage after a fire at a hospital in the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq. At least 92 people were killed while dozens were injured.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HGWSJHXKSW7MQX7BF477GCGLEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=9d8086eb4a2a70c9dbebf9ac82aeaccd4bb2533e3b49b707a10160fc64a09fe7&width=400&height=225)
Initial police reports suggest an oxygen tank explosion in the hospital's Covid-19 ward caused the fire.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/D5TTEMIHPUOF276UVNO2NCH7RI.jpg?smart=true&auth=6679793299a7bea7573cfe1e0f10f6ce1c79edc05f5d8077dcc262a773b0063d&width=400&height=225)
Health sources said the death toll could rise because many patients were still missing.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MZL233XZACDU2RFQ43RSTPZ2VU.jpg?smart=true&auth=eefca6670e273c98a1bbe0cdb9706484ebdba368761510bf9108a775b77a9a66&width=400&height=225)
Angry relatives of patients gathered in front of the hospital where they clashed with police.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TPGXD57EAFLCVGLQ3JMBCD3P44.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff2d22225cee96e570b71175322c919dca20f4e836f0d7a69bffb9ece7473f44&width=400&height=225)
Iraqi President Barham Salih condemned the corruption and mismanagement that he said led to the catastrophe.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VYV72L2VCGXLWV5MOAGAM3V5KU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d9fe03012553f196be1fdf51b17dd1bcee6332397d33f4f1575b5dcc5a3bffc6&width=400&height=225)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi ordered the suspension and arrest of health and civil defence managers.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NTH22LELTHQCENDBY4X6GE4NF4.jpg?smart=true&auth=97ed71a72c00d84a9c0d64865f4f1265a726400b4848a230abc24faf0ba14421&width=400&height=225)
Iraq's healthcare system is struggling to cope with the coronavirus crisis, which has killed 17,592 people and infected more than 1.4 million.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TSRC6E5B77RK2WH3Q6ENDQXKRE.jpg?smart=true&auth=aebc907d61d2f03c0a226a60b8522402170665ba46a48ae81dd9fc6e965a64a4&width=400&height=225)
There is little left to salvage after the catastrophic blaze.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LPMWL2L2FVVMYYQSIRG7F7AK2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=cedafd469f18cf77421aa42a54ef3eb6ffc7ff307814de0b58aa579988ae707c&width=400&height=225)
Search operations continued after the fire was brought under control, but thick smoke made work difficult.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JFNTCHQ5FNKF3C6HWGAWY5JZII.jpg?smart=true&auth=703641e653801dc54c7456b284f09c078a71021df8dac97111e18351d6c2c27f&width=400&height=225)
'I heard a big explosion inside the coronavirus wards and then fire erupted very quickly,' said Ali Muhsin, a hospital guard who helped to carry injured patients away from the fire.
Iraq prime minister orders arrests after hospital blaze kills 92
PM and president blame the fire at Nasiriyah's Al Hussein Hospital on corruption and political interference
Soraya Ebrahimi
12 July, 2021
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