There were no reports of any fatalities or injuries after a fire broke out at Sebokeng Hospital near Vereeniging.
The blaze broke out on Thursday afternoon, prompting the evacuation of more than 30 patients from the facility’s casualty department.
Fire
The Gauteng Health Department confirmed that the fire broke out in a psychiatry holding room within the Casualty unit, where mental healthcare users are temporarily accommodated while awaiting admission to psychiatric wards currently operating at full capacity.
“It is alleged that one of the patients ignited a blanket, resulting in smoke spreading across parts of the department. The incident has been reported to law enforcement, and a full investigation is currently underway, the department said.
“As a precautionary measure, more than 30 patients were safely evacuated from the area. These included patients across various categories, including emergency cases, mental healthcare users and obstetric patients.”
No injuries
The department said security personnel and staff members acted swiftly to contain the situation and ensure the safety of all patients
“No patient injuries or fatalities have been reported as a result of the incident.
“Hospital management and clinical teams are currently facilitating the transfer of affected patients to appropriate wards and ensuring continuity of care,” the department said.
KZN fire
Earlier this week, an industrial fire in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) was successfully contained, preventing it from spreading to other areas where it could have caused severe damage.
The blaze broke out in Hammarsdale and tore through Inkulu Pipe Solutions at the Coveway Industrial Park on Sunday morning, leaving the facility completely gutted.
eThekwini Fire Services said they received an emergency call at about 10:26am about the fire and immediately dispatched firefighting crews to the scene to battle the blaze.
“Upon arrival, firefighters encountered a fast-spreading blaze that had already engulfed large sections of the industrial facility,” eThekwini Fire Services Division Commander Sibusiso Dlamini said.
Destruction
The fire is believed to have started in the warehouse section, where mining pipes were stored, before rapidly sweeping through the property and destroying major assets, including a Hyster machine, a company truck, and two vehicles housed on site.
Dlamini said despite the scale of the destruction, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
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