Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prashant Kadam said a total of 11 bodies had been recovered from the site, adding that rescue work had completed, and no one was injured.

The fire broke out late on Thursday night inside the hospital, which was converted into a COVID-19 facility in the wake of the second wave of the pandemic in the country.

The hospital is located in the Bhandup area of Mumbai, the capital city of the south-western state of Maharashtra.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale visited the hospital and said there were 84 COVID-19 patients in the hospital when the fire broke out.

"Out of 84 patients, 11 have lost their lives. Others have either been shifted to other hospitals or have gone home," added Nagrale.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences at the tragedy.

Maharashtra is the worst-affected state in India because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. During the day, State Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a meeting of all divisional commissioners, collectors, Superintendents of Police, and senior doctors of district hospitals to review the COVID-19 situation in the state through video conference.

On Friday morning, the federal health ministry said the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 2,600,833 and a total of 53,795 people died due to the pandemic. ■