11 dead after fire breaks out in COVID-19 ward of Indian hospital

Nearly a dozen people have died after a fire broke out in the COVID-19 ward of an Indian hospital on Saturday.

Police Inspector Jyoti Karkade said 17 patients were staying in the ward at the hospital in the state of Maharashtra, with 11 of them dying, The Associated Press reported. The other six are in stable condition.

It is unclear how the fire started. 

The fire in the city of Ahmednagar is one of several that occurred this year in the country, as poor maintenance has contributed to fires, the AP noted.

In May, a fire killed 18 patients in a COVID-19 ward in a hospital in India. Another fire near Mumbai in April killed 13 patients. 

An investigation has been started into the cause of the fire Saturday.