A fire that broke out in South Africa's FH Odendaal Hospital in Limpopo has killed two patients, local media report.

One of the dead was a prisoner who had been serving a life sentence and was being treated in the hospital.

The fire reportedly started in a Covid-19 ward and spread to other parts of the building.

“One [patient] was critically ill and was admitted when he was semi-conscious the previous night. They were trying to stabilise him in case they had to refer him," health official Dr Phophi Ramathuba is quoted by the Independent Online website as saying.

“Another patient was an inmate who was also very ill. It’s quite sad that while we tried to rescue and save all the patients, we could not save the lives of these two," she said.

The authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.