News

Covid hospital fire: 82 killed by exploding oxygen tank

Published

3 years ago

April 26, 2021

Natasha Schapova

An Iraqi covid hospital fire has killed at least 82 people and left 110 injured.

The fire was caused by an exploding oxygen tank at Ibn Khatib hospital in Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad.

About “30 patients were in the intensive care unit”, which was reserved for the most severe cases of Covid, a hospital source told the AFP news agency.

Emergency service officials said many patients died when they were taken off oxygen machines to be evacuated, while others were suffocated by smoke.

A fire that ravaged a Covid-19 hospital in Iraq’s capital Bagdad has left at least 82 people dead and 110 injured pic.twitter.com/XAjjPmoYqt

— TRT World (@trtworld) April 25, 2021

The Iraqi Prime Minister suspended the health minister over the fire.

The Iraqi PM referred the health minister to authorities for investigation.

The head of Iraq’s Civil Defence, Gen Kadhim Bohan, said the fire had broken out in the hospital’s intensive-care unit.

In a statement, the government’s human rights commission said the incident was “a crime against patients exhausted by Covid-19”.

“Once the fire started somebody needed to put the auto central pipes off, which means basically cutting the oxygen from those who need it most,” Halla Sarraf, the director of Iraqi Health Access, a non-governmental organisation, told the BBC.

The fire adds strain as Iraq passes the one-million mark of Covid infections this week.

Iraq’s hospitals have been pushed to the limit during the coronavirus pandemic, adding to the strains wrought by years of war, neglect and corruption.

Covid infections have been rising steeply since February in Iraq, and the total passed the one-million mark this week.

The health ministry has recorded 1,025,288 cases and 15,217 deaths since the pandemic began.

The country launched its vaccination campaign last month, and has received nearly 650,000 doses, most of which have come from Covax, a global programme for sharing jabs.

News

Why Australia is becoming the new home of the Hollywood blockbuster

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

Nathan Langridge

Australia’s multimillion-dollar campaign to attract Hollywood productions to its shores appears to be paying off.

The allure of Australia lies not only in its picturesque locations but also in its competitive financial incentives.

The government offers generous rebates and tax breaks to international productions, making it an attractive proposition for filmmakers looking to maximise their budgets.

Despite the recent intake of Hollywood productions down under such as ‘The Fall Guy’ and ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’, Aussie independents are still finding the space to carve their own creative path.

Rob Fantozzi joined the program to discuss the latest in Hollywood, and showcased his own upcoming project – ‘Omerta‘. #featured

News

Portal between countries shut down after international flashing

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

Nathan Langridge

An international video portal has been forced to shut down after an OnlyFans model reportedly flashed passersby from across the globe.

On this episode of Ahron and Mike Live – Which would you prefer; pay rise or work perks, an international portal closes, the military reveal a submarine stingray and are you on a top or bottom burger bun?

Ticker’s Ahron Young & Mike Loder discuss. #featured #trending

News

U.S. home prices surge 47%

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

ticker NEWS

American home prices are rising at faster pace now than in the last 20-years.

A recent analysis reveals a jaw dropping surge in the cost of American homes.

Since the start of 2020, U.S. home prices have surged 47% easily outstripping the gains seen in recent decades.

On top of that, home price growth so far this decade is on the verge of surpassing all the growth seen in the 2000s.

Many experts believe this decade’s housing market frenzy was ignited by a perfect storm — the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic triggering an unprecedented rush among buyers.

Tom Hutchens, the Executive Vice President of Production at Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions joins Veronica Dudo to discuss.

#IN AMERICA TODAY #economy #housing #housingmarket #homeprices #homesales #inflation #trending