Dhaka: A big fire broke out at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in the capital on Thursday afternoon.

The fire originated at a storeroom on the first floor of a new building of the hospital around 5:50pm, said Rasel, duty officer of fire control room, reports the UNB.

Sixteen firefighting units are trying to extinguish the flame. ‘It’s a big fire,’ he said.

The fire has spread to two other floors despite frantic efforts by the firefighters.

Patients at nearby women and children wards as well as the ICU unit have been evacuated safely, Rasel said.    

It is not still clear what actually caused the fire.