Fire at COVID-19 facility kills 7 in south India

NEW DELHI: At least seven people died in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh when a fire engulfed a COVID-19 facility on Sunday morning, a local administration official said.

The mishap took place in a hotel converted into COVID-19 facility at the state's Vijayawada district.

Nearly 20 people were safely rescued from the site, and transferred to a hospital.

Though the exact cause of the fire was not known, the local administration official said a short circuit might have led to the blaze.

"Anguished by the fire at a COVID Center in Vijayawada. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover as soon as possible. Discussed the prevailing situation with Andhra Pradesh chief minister and assured all possible support," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

This is the second such incident in the country this week. A similar accident took place at a COVID-19 facility in the western state of Gujarat on Thursday, in which eight people had died.