One dead, 17 evacuated in a fire incident at George Mukhari hospital

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A female patient has died in a fire incident that occurred at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital’s psychiatric unit, Gauteng department of health confirmed.

According to reports, the 35-year-old was admitted to the healthcare facility on Thursday.

The departmental spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba, said she was placed in a seclusion room on Monday, as part of her prescribed treatment.

“At around 18h35 in the evening, a smouldering smoke and small fire broke out from the seclusion room. Immediate actions were taken to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of patients.

”The fire was quickly contained and extinguished by the fire brigade, but unfortunately the patient in the seclusion room sustained fatal injuries.

“Seventeen other patients in the unit were successfully evacuated and temporarily relocated to a different wing of the psychiatric department as a precautionary measure,” he explained.

Modiba stated that both the bereaved family and the families of the 17 patients will be taken through a debriefing and counselling services will also be made available to them.

Probe launched in the fire incident

Meanwhile, police in Tshwane have launched an investigation into the fire incident.

City of Tshwane emergency services spokesperson Thabo Mabaso said his department was notified of the incident just before 19:00 last night.

“Firefighters arrived on the scene to find that the hospital staff had already extinguished the fire in a single isolation ward using portable fire extinguishers.

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“A female patient suffered burns inside the ward and unfortunately lost her life. She was declared dead by a medical doctor on the scene,” Mabaso remarked.

He also added that 19 female patients were safely evacuated to another psychiatric ward without injuries.

“The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.”