Chennai: A fire at a prominent orthopedic hospital in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, claimed the lives of at least seven patients and injured 20 others. The victims include one child and two women, local officials reported.

The fire, believed to have been caused by a short circuit, started in the reception area on the ground floor and quickly spread to the upper floors, consuming the building.

Fire service officials stated that the victims died from suffocation due to the dense smoke that filled the hospital during the blaze.

Initial reports indicate that a short circuit in the reception area is believed to be the cause of the fire.

Around 50 ambulances were deployed to move patients to safer locations, with at least 30 admitted to the Dindigul government hospital. 

Firefighters fought the blaze for over an hour, and rescue operations to assist those trapped inside are still underway.

More details to follow