Durban – Patients were safely evacuated to sister hospitals after wards at the Life Chatsmed Garden Hospital went up in flames in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Life Healthcare regional manager Bhaviksha Maharaj said that the hospital group confirmed that a fire occurred at the hospital.
“All evacuation and emergency protocols were properly followed as soon as the incident occurred, and there have been no patient or staff injuries or casualties,” Maharaj said.
“Patients have been safely evacuated to sister hospitals in the area.
“The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and hospital engineers and local fire authorities are in the process of undertaking this investigation,” Maharaj said.
She said the hospital’s management thanked all stakeholders involved for their quick response and support to ensure the immediate safety of all their patients and staff.
Blue Security said in response to a panic activation when a fire engulfed the hospital at about 4am, their armed response officer and area manager who were close by, rushed to the scene and rallied extra support from the Blue Security team to safely evacuate patients and staff.
“First to the scene, our team investigated further and were directed to the burning building on the far left of the premises. Our area manager immediately called for assistance and together with the Blue Security team, eThekwini fire department, SAPS Bayview and emergency response teams. They came to the rescue of patients and staff and began evacuating them,” Blue Security said.
The company said that all staff and patients were evacuated unharmed.
According to a report from Emer-G-Med spokesperson Kyle van Reenen, their emergency service, Netcare 911, Blue Security, eThekwini fire and rescue services, and numerous other emergency personnel responded to the scene following reports of a fire.
“Reports from the scene are that a fire broke out in one of the wards leading to an evacuation,” Van Reenen said.
Mzansi SecuriFire, who also responded, said after one of their technical team members received a call that the hospital was on fire, they mobilised to the scene and noted that the fire was large, and at the far end of the hospital.
“Our team stopped their vehicle and went on foot to the part of the hospital that was on fire. We went into the building to search, because as per the information we received, there were still patients inside the building. We found a staff member and asked her how many people were still inside.
“Our team safely removed the patients and staff members from the hospital. We then turned our attention to the fire, using the hospital’s fire hoses,” Mzansi SecuriFire said.
“Shortly afterwards, the fire department arrived and we carried on assisting them until they contained and brought the blaze under control.”
Mzansi SecuriFire services were also asked to assist with closing the Higginson Highway, as one patient needed to be airlifted to another hospital. Multiple patients were transported to various other hospitals for treatment.
Daily News