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At least four people have died after a fire broke out at a hospital on Rome’s outskirts, forcing the evacuation of the facility and its patients.
People in the intensive care ward at St John the Evangelist hospital in Tivoli were transferred immediately to other hospitals via ambulance, the Tivoli mayor’s office said.
Other patients were moved into a nearby municipal gymnasium pending transfer to other facilities.
The blaze began late on Friday and was eventually brought under control, with four people confirmed killed, the fire department confirmed.
The fire apparently broke out in the basement of the structure, initially involving the mortuary, then part of the kitchens and the first floor, but the dense smoke also spread to the upper levels, news agency Ansa reported.
Video showed fire crews on ladders trying to reach the upper floors of the hospital as smoke billowed out.
Tivoli, which is located about 20 miles northeast of the centre of Rome, is a popular tourist destination. It is best known for the archaeological sites of Villa d’Este and Villa Adriana.
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