Three intensive care patients killed in huge explosion sparked by vigil candle lit for Covid victim

THREE people have died after a candle lit in memory of a Covid patient caused a fireball to erupt in an intensive care unit, officials said. Yesterday, a hospital staffer in Kosiv, western Ukraine, lit a candle in tribute to a coronavirus victim according to local tradition, the emergencies services said. Ukraine PoliceThree people have died after a fire ripped through an ICU unit in Ukraine[/caption] Ukraine PoliceThe fire erupted after a candle was lit in tribute to a dead Covid patient[/caption] The flame was lit in the hospital’s intensive care unit where five oxygen concentrators had been operating, with equipment instantly catching fire. “Ignorance of the elementary laws of physics and disregard for safety rules have led to irreparable losses,” officials said, describing the incident as a “terrible mistake.” Three people – including two patients – were killed. Four other people were treated for severe burns. According to a statement, three doctors suffered horrific burns while two women and a man died. The local prosecutors office is probing the deadly incident, Interfax news agency reports. Deadly fires are common in the ex-Soviet nation due to poor compliance with safety regulations and ageing infrastructure. Most read in News NEW YEAR, NEW RULES 7 Covid restrictions that could return in January to beat Omicron FINISH THE JOB Brits urged to get boosted NOW to save country from January restrictions TOBY STARVERY My Xmas was ruined after we waited an HOUR for 'soggy' £110 Toby Carvery meal NO LOCAL LIMBO Local lockdowns WON'T return with decision on national restrictions in DAYS JANUARY BLUES UK to be hit by -4C big freeze and SNOW days after warmest New Year on record RAVEHEARTS Thousands of Scots prepare to cross border on NYE to escape Sturgeon clampdown In February, an oxygen explosion killed one Covid patient and injured another at a hospital in the western city of Chernivtsi. The same month, four people died in the southwestern city of Zaporizhzhya after a fire ripped through the intensive care unit of a hospital that was treating coronavirus patients. Ukraine PoliceThree doctors suffered from burns because of the fireball[/caption]