A devastating fire at a private hospital in Tamil Nadu, southern India, claimed the lives of at least six people and left more than two dozen injured late Thursday night, according to police reports.
Fires in India are frequently attributed to inadequate firefighting resources and widespread neglect of safety protocols.
The exact cause of this incident, which began in the reception area on the ground floor before spreading to other levels, is still under investigation.
All six victims were discovered unconscious inside an elevator, as reported by the Press Trust of India. Police Superintendent A. Pradeep confirmed that approximately 30 others sustained injuries but are currently in stable condition.
This tragedy follows a series of similar incidents across India. Just weeks earlier, 10 newborns perished in a fire at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh, while another fire earlier this year at a children’s hospital in New Delhi killed six infants.
In May, a fire at an overcrowded amusement park arcade in Gujarat resulted in at least 27 fatalities, including several children.
The repeated incidents highlight ongoing concerns over fire safety enforcement in the country.