Another Cape Town fire destroys ward at hospital

Just days after a raging blaze at the Table Mountain laid waste to parts of the University of Cape Town’s library and other landmarks, the Western Cape Local Government has announced that another fire broke out at the Caledon Hospital on Thursday night.

It said that the fire was extinguished within hours, although the fire was extinguished it still managed to completely destroy one ward.

James-Brent Styan said that no one was injured and that all patients were evacuated in time to safety.

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He said that patients were later returned to their wards after the fire was contained.

“The fire was contained to one ward that was affected and after the official clearance by safety personnel who were on scene patients went back to their wards except for the ward that was affected,” said Styan.

Hospital staff evacuated all affected areas. Three municipalities sent fire engines… the blaze was contained.”

This comes just days after the city had experienced a runaway fire started near the Rhodes Memorial, which spread to the University of Cape Town where it destroyed several buildings, including the historical special collections library.

Meanwhile, it is still unclear if Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg will reopen on Saturday after a fire ripped through parts of the facility on Friday and Saturday last week.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced on Saturday the facility would be closed for seven days due to safety concerns over smoke that had funneled through the hospital.

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On Wednesday morning Makhura’s spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga could not confirm whether plans to reopen the hospital in seven days were still on track as per the Premier’s words.

“We will get advice from the infrastructure department, we await an update report,” Mhaga said.

Asked when the report is likely to be complete, he said: “It depends, we can’t put pressure on them.”