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'Despite the swift response, the patient who is alleged to have caused the fire sustained severe burns and tragically succumbed to his injuries.'
Picture: iStock
A patient at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) died in a fire on Tuesday after allegedly using a cigarette lighter near an oxygen tank.
The 39-year-old man, who was in a single-bed cubicle, was admitted to the hospital on 14 February.
At approximately 7pm during visiting hours at the hospital, the patient reportedly ignited a cigarette lighter while in close proximity to an oxygen mask he was using. The mask was connected to the main oxygen line, which resulted in a fire that was contained within his single-bed cubicle.
A patient in the neighbouring single ward alerted the nursing staff that responded to the situation. When the staff was alerted, the ward was filled with smoke, and they quickly fetched fire extinguishers to contain the blaze. The matron on duty was notified and assisted in managing the situation.
The Department of Health in KZN confirmed that the facility has running water, fire detectors and water sprinklers that kicked in to extinguish the fire.
“Despite the swift response, the patient who is alleged to have caused the fire sustained severe burns and tragically succumbed to his injuries,” the department stated on Tuesday.
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Casualties in hospital fire
It is confirmed that no other patients or staff members were injured in the incident. However, all patients who were close to the affected ward were clinically examined for potential smoke inhalation as a precautionary measure.
Additionally, some patients were relocated to medical wards while those in isolation were provided with masks and isolated to ensure their wellbeing.
MEC extends condolences, reassures patients
The MEC of Health in ZKN, Nomagugu Simelane expressed her heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s family.
Additionally, she called for calm and reassured families with relatives at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital that all patients are safe, and the situation is under control.
The South African Police Service was notified of the incident, and they attended and started investigating to determine the full circumstances surrounding it.
The South African Police Service is investigating the incident.
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