A PATIENT, who was suspected to have a mental illness, was responsible for this morning’s fire at Addington Hospital.
Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, Health MEC said the fire, which broke out on the 12th floor of the hospital around 10.30 this morning, was started by a patient who was recently transferred from Don McKenzie Hospital in Hillcrest. The patient allegedly set his mattress alight.
“I have to commend the hospital staff firstly for keeping the patient, who showed signs of suspected mental illness, in an isolated ward and for their quick response that not only saved the patient, but contained the fire limiting it to that one room. It is good to see that they were ready and available to contain this emergency situation,” he told Berea Mail.
Dhlomo said the patient sustained slight injuries to his hands and arm in the very unfortunate incident. “Staff evacuated the whole floor as a precaution but nobody else was injured. We are awaiting an evaluation of the damage to the room,” he added.
