Mumbai:  Thirteen COVID-19 patients died in a hospital fire at Virar in Palghar district of Maharashtra early on Friday, police said.

The fire broke out in the ICU of the hospital around 3 am, they said.

District Disaster Control Cell chief Vivekanand Kadam told PTI that the fire was preceded by an explosion in the AC unit of the intensive care unit.

There were 16 patients undergoing treatment at the hospital, he said.

Firefighters from the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation put out the fire within an hour, Kadam said.