Basilica News Agency – Aurelian Iftimiu – 30/1/21

Patriarch Daniel expressed sorrow and condolences to the families of the persons who died in a blaze at a hospital in Bucharest being used to treat COVID-19 patients.

At least four people have been killed in a blaze at a hospital in Bucharest being used to treat COVID-19 patients, just three months after another hospital fire killed 10 people north of the Romanian capital.

The fire broke out at the Matei Bals Hospital in Bucharest, one of the city’s largest, early on Friday.

“Three patients were found dead and a fourth died later,” said Secretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Raed Arafat, adding that they were patients with Covid-19.

A few hours later, Interior minister Lucian Bode told Digi24 that another person died in the fire, the death toll thus rising to five.

Patriarch Daniel’s message of condolences: full text

We learned with sorrow about the tragedy caused by the fire at the “Matei Balş” hospital in Bucharest, Friday morning, January 29, 2021, a fire that killed 5 patients and 102 others were evacuated.

In these moments full of suffering and turmoil for the bereaved families, but also for all of us who are going through another critical period marked by a pandemic, we pray to God for the rest of the souls of the deceased and for the speedy recovery of the wounded.

At the same time, we send a parental message of condolence and consolation to the families of the deceased, their relatives, and friends, as well as to all the medical staff who cared for them and who tried to save their lives.

† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church

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