South Korea hospital fire claims 33 lives, many seriously injured

At least 33 people were killed and more than 70 injured when a major fire broke out at Sejong Hospital building in South Korea on Friday, firefighters said.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

A video posted on social media shows a patient hanging on to a rope from a helicopter above the hospital in Miryang, while another video shows a patient crawling out of a window to climb down a ladder.

The National Fire Agency said the six-storey structure housed a nursing home as well as the hospital.

According to a spokesman of the Agency, the number of dead could rise further.

"Two nurses said they had seen fire suddenly erupting in the emergency room," said fire chief Choi Man-Woo.

All the patients have been brought out, he said, adding that evacuating 15 patients from the intensive care unit on the third floor took longer as firefighters had to wait for medical staff to supervise the process.

"The victims came both from the hospital and the nursing home," he said. "Some died on their way to another hospital."

Video footage and pictures show the building engulfed by heavy dark smoke and surrounded by multiple fire trucks.

South Korean President Moon Jae-In held an emergency meeting with advisers to discuss response measures, his office said.

(With PTI inputs)