Pope prays for victims of fire in Iraqi hospital

In a telegram sent through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, addressed to Archbishop Mitja Leskovar, Apostolic Nuncio to Iraq, Pope Francis assures his “spiritual closeness to all affected by the tragic fire at the Covid isolation ward of the al-Hussein hospital in Nassiriya”, Iraq. “Deeply saddened”, the Pontiff — the message continues — “prays especially for those who have died and for the comfort of family and friends who mourn their loss”, and invokes upon the “patients, staff and caregivers” God’s blessing to bring “consolation, strength and peace”. The terrible fire, which destroyed the hospital’s Covid-19 unit on Monday night, 12 July, caused at least 92 deaths and 50 injuries. The cause of the fire appears to be an electrical short circuit. It’s a tragedy within a tragedy: cases of contagion in Iraq are dramatically ...