South Korea hospital fire: 41 dead after blaze ravages building ahead of Winter Olympics

AT LEAST 41 people have been killed and more than 70 others injured after a huge fire ripped through a hospital in South Korea, who is set to host the Winter Olympics next month. 

 The blaze broke out around 10.30pm GMT (7.30 am local time) on the first floor of Sejong Hospital in the city of Milyang, according to firefighters.

Choi Man-woo, the head of Miryang city's fire station said at least 10 of those injured were in a critical condition.

Following the fire around 100 patients were believed to have been still be inside the hospital and rescue workers launched a desperate search for people.

The hospital evacuated 111 people, mostly patients to nearby hospitals and 94 patients from the nursing home – which adjoined the main building – and caught fire also escaped the area, according to authorities.

The blaze is suspected to have started in the emergency room and firefighters tackled the fire for three hours, authorities said.

The identities of the victims were not immediately known.