BAGHDAD — At least 13 newborn babies are dead after a fire Wednesday at a hospital in Baghdad, according to Iraq's Health Ministry.
A total of 24 women and seven newborn babies were rescued from the blaze, according to a statement by the Health Ministry's media sector. It did not report their current state.
The fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday inside a corridor of the maternity ward of al-Yarmouk hospital, which lies in central Baghdad, the statement added.
Civil defense forces managed to extinguish the fire. The initial investigation indicated the incident was caused by an electrical short circuit, the ministry said.
The Health Ministry had earlier reported that 12 newborn babies were killed, while seven others, along with 29 women, were injured in the incident and evacuated to nearby hospitals.
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GRAPHIC (for help with images, contact 312-222-4194): Baghdad fire
