Patients are still being treated at Paarl Hospital after a fire extensively damaged the outpatient department, the Western Cape Health Department confirmed on Wednesday.
Three floors of the hospital were evacuated on Tuesday after a fire broke out at the hospital.
No injuries were reported.
Wenger praises hospital staff
Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, visited Paarl Hospital on Wednesday, a day after the fire incident.
Wenger praised the staff for their calm, compassionate and highly professional response during the evacuation.
“Our staff were exceptional yesterday. They acted quickly and with great care to evacuate the entire facility and ensure that every patient returned to their wards once it was safe to do so.
“While the Outpatient department has sustained significant damage and repairs will take time, I want to reassure the public that Paarl Hospital remains open and operational. Anyone who needs emergency care will be treated,” said Wenger.
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Services resume in phases
She added that some elective procedures may experience delays as teams carefully reorganise services to ensure patient safety and continuity of care.
“To speed up the recovery process, additional cleaning teams have been brought in to deep-clean and prepare areas that have already been assessed and declared safe,” said Wenger. “As these assessments continue, more sections of the hospital are being reopened in a phased and carefully managed way.”
Alternative sites
Wenger said that while some services will resume within the hospital, others may be temporarily provided at alternative sites to ensure patients continue to receive the care they need while repairs are underway.
Suspect to appear in court
Meanwhile, a suspect arrested in connection with the fire at the Paarl Provincial Hospital is set to appear before the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Police spokesperson Ndakhe Gwala said the 35-year-old man is facing a charge of arson after allegedly causing a fire at the health facility.
Gwala said the circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
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