Saudi authorities have begun investigating a fire that hit Jazan General Hospital in southern Saudi Arabia and led to the death of at least 24 people and left 141 injured.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques received condolences from many leaders of Gulf and Arab countries after the accident.

From his part, Prince of Jazan Mohammed bin Nasser requested an immediate investigation to report the circumstances around the fire and its causes, effects, and to make necessary recommendations to prevent such incidents from reoccurring.

Moreover Health Minister Khalid al-Falih delivered the condolences of the King, the Crown Prince and the deputy Crown Prince to the families of the victims. He added that the deaths were due to thick smoke that spread into the upper floors of the hospital which caused patients to choke to death. He said that the Ministry would review the architecture of the building and what caused the incident.

Deputy Health Minister Hamad Al-Dhewalia told Asharq Al-Awsat that the ministry has created a network to transfer medical data pertaining to the injured who were moved to new hospitals and were taken care of medically and financially by the ministry.

The blaze broke out at the intensive care unit and the maternity ward of the hospital. The teams were able to evacuate the children and patients from the intensive care unit, the health ministry said, but most casualties were on the hospital’s upper floors.