Cause of Limpopo hospital fire still unknown

05 May 2021 - 12:19 By kgaugelo masweneng
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The provincial health department said the cause of the blaze was unclear.
The provincial health department said the cause of the blaze was unclear.
Image: Limpopo health department/Facebook

The cause of a fire that gutted a Covid-19 ward and killed two patients at FH Odendaal Hospital in Limpopo on Tuesday is yet to be established.

Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba said on Wednesday: “The report we received says the cause of the fire was not an electrical fault. We could not find what started it but we know it started in a corner of the ward.

“Luckily they were able to contain it and it ended in one ward. It’s unfortunate that two people died. One of them is from Marapyane in Mpumalanga. She was an elderly woman. Other patients were rescued,” said Ramathuba.

The MEC praised nurses for responding swiftly to the blaze.

“With the assistance of other nurses from nearby wards, they acted swiftly and managed to evacuate all patients,” she said in a statement posted on the department’s Facebook page.

“They bravely took fire extinguishers in the ward and managed to stop the fire affecting the entire building. Unfortunately they lost two patients in the process but we remain grateful for their act of bravery.”

Ramathuba said due to the ward using a lot of oxygen to stabilise Covid-19 patients, this could have fuelled the fire.

Health minister Zweli Mkhize conveyed his condolences to the families of the two victims.

“We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of two patients. We convey our sincerest condolences to the families who have suffered this devastating loss while they must have hoped to see their loved ones returned to them from the hospital,” he said.

TimesLIVE


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