Fire at Pingtung hospital leaves 8 dead, 2 missing

Taipei, Oct. 3 (CNA) A fire that broke out at a hospital in Pingtung County on Thursday morning has killed eight people and left two missing, according to the county government.

As of noon, the fire at the Antai Tian-Sheng Memorial Hospital in Donggang Township in Pingtung County has killed eight patients, the county government's Communication and International Affairs Division said in a press release.

The police and firefighters are still searching for a patient and a hospital employee working in the machine room, the county magistrate Chou Chun-mi (周春米) said.

Update: 1 more person confirmed dead in Pingtung fire, death toll rises to 9

A total of 323 out of the 324 patients who were staying in Block D of the hospital have been located and transferred to other hospitals, the press release read.