Thorough assessment will show full extent of fire damage
PARKTOWN – At this point, an estimated R40 million worth of equipment was lost in the fire.
Assessments are still ongoing after the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital fire.
Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize’s visited the hospital on 20 April and said he had been given a thorough briefing from the hospital’s CEO Gladys Bogoshi, the emergency disaster management team and other role players.
“We all now know that this was a fire that started at the dispensary site where PPEs and other equipment were kept. So they have indicated to me the level of destruction that it has caused. I have seen that the building is showing a lot of damage, in particular, this particular block which is in the middle of the entire hospital.
“We have also seen the damage to other hospital floors and cracking of walls on other floors. This was obviously a huge fire with a huge amount of destruction,” Mkhize said.
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He added that the full extent of the damage could only be revealed after a thorough assessment had been done. “From the stock that there was, there is over R40 million worth of stock in PPEs and other essentials.
“I must say I was quite pleased to get the report I got and to see the extent of hard work which was put in to actually save lives and save the hospital.”
He added that his gratitude went to the hospital team that cooperated and worked together and saved as many patients as possible from injury and harm.
“I think all of us know that the biggest problem with fire is that the flames come a bit later, the first problem is carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation.”
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