Days after a fire at National Hospital in Bloemfontein, Free State, another broke out at Phuthuloha hospital in Ficksburg, east of the province on Tuesday. 

Thabo Selemakoro (39) from Meqheleng says he was visiting a family member who was a patient at the hospital, when he was told patients had been moved to safety. 

“My father is one of those who have been taken to other hospitals for safety. I’m told he is safe,” Selemakoro says. 

He adds that they were not told in detail what caused the fire. “However we are told the wards will be ready for patients once police have finished with investigations,” he says. 

Health department spokesperson Mondli Mvambi says the fire started in the seclusion room. 

“There was one patient in the seclusion room and the fire was swiftly extinguished. The area is now a crime scene and under police investigation. We are waiting for them to hand it over to the hospital so that we can begin to fix it and welcome patients back,” Mvambi says. 

He adds that due to smoke in and outside of the facility patients had to be moved  to safety. 

“There were 11 patients in the hospital who had to be evacuated to avoid the risk of smoke inhalation. They’ve been moved to nearby facilities.”

“Four female patients and three children are at John Daniel Newberry District Hospital in Clocolan. Three male patients are in Ladybrand’s Senorita Ntlabathi DistrictHospital and one male patient is in Dihlabeng Regional Hospital,” he says. 

Mvambi says no one died in the fire. 

“All patients and staff are fully accounted for. No one died and no one got injured as a result of the fire. The cause of the fire will be thoroughly investigated. The Free State Department of Health thanks the speedy response of the officials on duty who used the fire extinguishers at the hospital to quell the fire. Many thanks also go to the Municipal Fire Brigade and EMS which responded timely to ensure that the situation was brought under control,” he concludes. 

The MEC of Health Viceroy Mahlatsi is expected to visit both patients and the facility on Wednesday, July 17. – Health-e News