A fire broke out at the Rajiv Gandhi Govt. General Hospital in Chennai on Monday morning, but no direct casualties have been reported.

The fire was caused by a short-circuit in an ICU (ward 213) of the government hospital.

A total of 16 patients (10 male and 6 female) were evacuated from the ICU after the spark was noticed.

Unconfirmed reports say one person was killed in the fire. Hospital officials however have denied such reports and said that one male patient who was critical, died due to his illness and not as a result of the fire.

The patient Pandurangan of Vizhupuram who was in the critical care unit, died of renal failure, according to a senior officer of the Chennai City Police.