Hospital on fire

The Psychiatric ward (ward 7) at Letaba Hospital caught fire on Monday, this comes after several cables presumably exploded.

It is alleged that the cables had been problematic since morning.

When Letaba Herald’s journalist arrived at the hospital, chaos reigned among evacuated patients and staff members.

Emergency services arrived rapidly at the scene and the blaze was extinguished.

The fire started around 16:50 and about 45 patients were evacuated to neighbouring hospitals: Van Velden, Doctor C.N Phathudi and Kgapana Hospital. Spokesperson for the Department of Health, Macks Lesufi confirmed that patients from the psychiatric and maternity ward were the ones who were evacuated.

“Because the two wards are adjacent to each other we saw it fit to move the patients,” said Lesufi.

Some out-patients were also taken to other hospitals by ambulances.

Enoch Shingange happened to be a Good Samaritan on a wrong day. He gave Mabuti Baloyi a lift on the back of his bakkie. Baloyi broke his leg in Mariveni Village.

On their arrival to the hospital they could not receive immediate assistance and were kept waiting outside the gates.

“The health workers were friendly and they eventually managed to take the patient Van Velden where he was admitted and receiving the necessary help,” Shingange said.

No one was injured in the blaze.

Two psychiatric ward patients tried to escape but were later retrieved.

Police spokesperson Colonel Ronel Otto said a forensic team would investigate the cause of the fire.