UPDATE 1 – Fire breaks out at hospital in South Korea, killing at least 41

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By BNO NEWS

A fire has broken out at a hospital in the city of Miryang in South Korea, killing at least 41 people and injuring more than 50 others, officials say. Rescue work is continuing for patients who could still be trapped inside the building.

The incident began at about 7:30 a.m. local time on Friday when emergency services were called to a fire at Sejong Hospital in Miryang, which is a city located in the country’s southeast, about 280 kilometers (175 miles) southeast of Seoul.

The fire is believed to have started in the emergency room on the first floor of the main building, according to the Yonhap news agency. Video footage from the scene showed that parts of the first floor were completely destroyed.

It took firefighters about 1.5 hour to extinguish the blaze, after which rescue workers began to search the building for victims. Authorities said that at least 41 people were found dead by 12:50 p.m., but firefighters were still searching for other victims.

In addition to those killed, at least 79 people who were injured were taken to area hospitals, Yonhap reported. It did not say whether all of those transported were injured as a result of the fire. More than 90 people who live at a nursing home adjacent to the hospital were evacuated safely.

The cause of Friday’s fire was not immediately known.

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