News / Africa
Fire guts down Steve Biko Hospital
11 Jan 2016 at 13:15hrs | Views
A FIRE at Steve Biko Academic Hospital on Saturday night might have been caused by a burning cigarette butt.
This is according to Steve Mabona of the Gauteng Health Department.
Daily Sun reported that ninety-four patients had to be evacuated from the hospital in Tshwane and 13 employees who assisted with the process were affected by the smoke.
They were treated for smoke inhalation.
The fire broke out in a shaft, forcing staff to move patients around the affected area to other wards.
The shaft is on the third level of the hospital building and between levels eight and nine, where 94 patients were being treated.
Patients on those levels were being treated by specialists in internal medicine, cardiology, paediatrics, urology and gynaecology.
Mabona said all patients were quickly moved out of the wards.
The cleaners' room was damaged by the fire- and some cleaning equipment was destroyed.
Mabona said it was not yet known how much the damage amounts to.
"The structural damage is currently unknown, but we can assure you the assessment to verify the damage has started," he said.
"The fire department and SAPS will continue to investigate the cause.
"We are happy to confirm that no patients were affected by the smoke and they are all back in their wards.
"It's business as usual," he said.
Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu thanked all officials who assisted in moving patients to safer areas as well as the fire fighters who put out the flames.
This is according to Steve Mabona of the Gauteng Health Department.
Daily Sun reported that ninety-four patients had to be evacuated from the hospital in Tshwane and 13 employees who assisted with the process were affected by the smoke.
They were treated for smoke inhalation.
The fire broke out in a shaft, forcing staff to move patients around the affected area to other wards.
The shaft is on the third level of the hospital building and between levels eight and nine, where 94 patients were being treated.
Patients on those levels were being treated by specialists in internal medicine, cardiology, paediatrics, urology and gynaecology.
Mabona said all patients were quickly moved out of the wards.
The cleaners' room was damaged by the fire- and some cleaning equipment was destroyed.
Mabona said it was not yet known how much the damage amounts to.
"The structural damage is currently unknown, but we can assure you the assessment to verify the damage has started," he said.
"The fire department and SAPS will continue to investigate the cause.
"We are happy to confirm that no patients were affected by the smoke and they are all back in their wards.
"It's business as usual," he said.
Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu thanked all officials who assisted in moving patients to safer areas as well as the fire fighters who put out the flames.
Source - Daily Sun
