The death toll from a fire at a COVID-19 hospital in the Iraqi capital Baghdad rose to 82 patients, according to the Iraqi Interior Ministry on Sunday.

A ministry statement said that 110 patients were also injured in the fire that took place at the Ibn al-Khatib hospital in Baghdad late Saturday.

According to local media, the fire was caused by the explosion of oxygen tanks at the hospital, where coronavirus patients were being treated.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi ordered an immediate investigation into the incident.

For its part, the Independent High Commission for Human Rights of Iraq, an official body linked to the Iraqi parliament, called on the Iraqi premier to sack Health Minister Hassan al-Tamimi and his deputies over the incident.