TAIPEI - A big fire broke out early Tuesday morning at a hospital in South Taiwan, killing at least 12 people and injuring 60 others, most of whom were patients.

The fire started at a medical care facility close to the Bei-Men branch of the Sinying Hospital in Tainan city, according to the city's Health Department.

Firefighters were alerted at 3:29 am and the fire was put out some 50 minutes later.

The rescuers pulled out a total of 115 people, among whom 12 were later announced dead. Another 60 injured people were sent to hospitals for treatment. Most of them were choked in heavy smoke.

A worker at the local Fire Department, who identified herself as Ms Weng, told Xinhua by telephone that most of the injured were patients and the police were still investigating the cause of the fire.