Fire destroys Qamishli hospital operating room

Qamishli – North-Press Agency

On Saturday, a fire destroyed the only operating room in al-Kalima Hospital in the city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria, with no recorded casualties.

Hospital director Najib Hayek told North-Press that the damage was limited to material, but "we can no longer perform surgeries…we will work in the coming days to restore what was damaged."

A hospital worker said that the fire broke out around five in the evening after a guard smelled smoke outside.

He added: "I suspect that the fire was caused by a short circuit in one of the intakes inside the room."

According to hospital staff, the damages included "anesthesia, an arthroscope, arc lights and operating lights, as well as medications and surgical supplies, in addition to the combustion of the urological endoscopy."