A fire at a hospital in Iran’s north kills 9 patients

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A fire broke out at a hospital in Iran’s north, killing nine patients, state media reported. The blaze started at 2200GMT at Qaem Hospital in the city of Rasht, about 205 miles northwest of the capital Tehran, state TV said, leaving six women and three men dead. Chief of the city fire department, Shahram Momeni, said on state TV on Tuesday that an electric short circuit in the basement — which harbors the intensive care unit — malfunctioned, causing the fire. He added that more than 140 people were rescued after being trapped because of the smoke, and that 120 of them were hospitalized in other medical facilities.