Fire engulfs nursing home

A FIRE at a nursing home in Taiwan early on Monday has left nine people dead and 16 injured.

Authorities were still investigating the cause of the blaze that broke out before 5am and was extinguished roughly one hour later.

No further details were immediately available about those who had died.

The local fire department said 10 of the injured were in a serious condition at the time of going to press.

The nursing home, which is attached to Taipei Hospital, had 32 patients on the ward, along with 11 nurses, helpers and foreign caregivers.