Fire under control in parking bay at Charlotte Maxeke hospital
Patients were not evacuated as the smoke from the fire was not too thick or at high risk for inhalation.
Yet another fire has broken out at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, but the Gauteng Department of Health says all is under control.
According to a statement released by the department’s Motalatale Modiba, on July 5 a smouldering fire was detected at the hospital in an unused P2 parking bay.
This comes after a fire that devasted the hospital in April last year, read more here: Firefighters battle re-ignited fire at Charlotte Maxeke
Modiba added that the fire was detected by security on the hospital premises.
“Late on Tuesday evening security personnel reported there was smoke that seemed to be coming from one of the structures. Firefighters for the City of Joburg immediately responded to the situation and managed to contain the fire which was confined to a small section of the level two parking,” he said.
The statement said the Hilbrow police were on site after the matter was reported to them.
“The level two parking is one of the areas which was affected by the April 2021 fire and is currently under scaffolding and not accessible to the public or staff except for construction people. Upon assessment of the situation, clinicians on site together with the facility’s head of disaster made a call that the situation did not warrant for patients to be evacuated as the smoke from the fire was not too thick or at high risk for inhalation. Services at the facility continue to be rendered as normal.”
The head of communications said the status quo is currently being closely monitored by the multidisciplinary team that is on-site to further assess the situation. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
Since then parts of the hospital are yet to be fully functional. Read the full article here: Second Unit at Charlotte Maxeke opened since fire
Massive public outcry has poured in since the fire last year, with political parties and organisations calling the delay in reopening outrageous. Read more here: Defend our Democracy picket: “Fix and Open Charlotte Maxeke Hospital Now”
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