Patients evacuated after another Free State hospital catches fire

In yet another fire incident in the Free State, 11 patients have been evacuated from Phuthuloha Hospital after a fire on Tuesday evening.

According to the Free State Department of Health, the fire which started in a seclusion room, was extinguished immediately.

The 11 patients, who were evacuated to avoid the risk of smoke inhalation, were relocated to Clocolan’s JD Newberry District Hospital, Ladybrand’s Senorita Nhlabathi Hospital and Dihlabeng Regional Hospital.

ALSO READ: Four-year-old girl dies after tooth extraction at Free State hospital, MEC calls for calm

“All patients and staff are fully accounted for. No one died and no one got injured as a result of the fire,” the department’s spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, told the Bloemfontein Courant.

This is the second hospital to catch fire in the province in a short period of time.

National District Hospital fire

On Sunday, 7 July, 83 patients were evacuated from the Bloemfontein National District Hospital after a fire broke out.

According to Mvambi, the fire started from outside the paediatric ward and caught the trees. It then spread to the first floor and second floor of the building.

ALSO READ: Fire claims patient in female psych unit at Dr George Mukhari Hospital

This led to smoke spreading throughout the building.

There were 83 patients in the wards and 23 were transferred to Botshabelo District Hospital. The remaining were temporarily moved to Gateway Clinic from where they were taken to Universitas Academic Hospital, Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital and MUCPP Health Centre in Bloemfontein.

No one died or got injured as a result of this fire. All persons inside were accounted for.

The department has launched an investigation into both incidents.

ALSO READ: SA’s healthcare system: eight steps that would get it on the right track