Three fire engines and 15 firefighters were dispatched to the National District Hospital to put out a fire on Monday afternoon. The fire had originated in the ceiling of the room adjacent to the kitchen. It then spread in the direction opposite from the kitchen.
Divisional Officer at the Mangaung Fire Department, Braam van Zyl, said the fire had spread horizontally through the roof space before it was extinguished. Major damage was done to the roof structure, while ceilings in several rooms were also badly damaged.
Van Zyl explained that ceiling fires are tricky fires to extinguish due to the fact that smoke will be visible at various points on the roof, making it difficult to determine the precise position of the flames.
“Several firefighters with protective clothing had to break open the ceilings from underneath. This is extremely risky and dangerous as inflamed ceiling material can fall on firefighters. A second team of firefighters was placed on the roof. They removed corrugated iron sheets to extinguish the fire from above. This is very dangerous as the roof becomes extremely hot, and there is always the risk of roof structures collapsing,” he further explained.
The fire was brought under control within an hour and the fire brigade was impressed with the way hospital staff evacuated patients from the area and the support they provided to the fire brigade.
Van Zyl added that the kitchen was not affected by the fire. The fire brigade is currently assisting with the forensic investigation and the findings will be made known at a later stage.
Free State Health spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, said that the cost of the damage is still to be determined.
“The services were moved to the Gateway Clinic and the kitchen services have resumed as normal to ensure that no patients are left without food. No injuries were reported and six patients in the children’s ward were transported to Pelonomi Hospital to ensure their safety,” said Mvambi.
SEITHATI SEMENOKANE
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