Fifteen Covid-19 patients died after a fire broke out at the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Palghar district of Maharashtra on Friday, police said.

While 13 were charred to death in the ICU, one patient died while being taken to another hospital and another died during treatment, an official said.

There were 83 patients in the hospital, 17 of them in the ICU when the fire broke out after a blast in the air-conditioning unit, the official said.

TV visuals showed the smoke-filled ICU in disarray, with the ceiling falling off in places, beds and other furniture strewn around and kin of the deceased wailing outside the hospital.

Five patients were rescued and shifted to other hospitals.

The other patients in the hospital were not affected as the damage was confined to the ICU, the official added.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered a probe, health minister Rajesh Tope said.

Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said authorities should check if there was a fire safety audit of the hospital, which is over 50km from Mumbai.

District disaster control cell chief Vivekanand Kadam told PTI that an explosion in the AC unit of the intensive care unit preceded the Virar hospital fire.

Relatives of the deceased have demanded that stringent action be taken against those responsible for the tragedy.

The chief minister has announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of deceased. Those who suffered serious injuries would be given Rs 1 lakh compensation each.

Maharashtra home minister Dilip Walse Patil on Friday said he has asked the state DGP to conduct an in-depth probe.