The Gauteng department of health has confirmed that the fire that broke out at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital on Tuesday night has been extinguished.
The fire broke out in the unused level-two parking area that was first affected by the fire that damaged parts of the hospital in April 2021. The area is currently under renovation.
The evacuation of patients was not necessary on Tuesday as the smoke from the fire was not high risk for inhalation. Services at the hospital also continue uninterrupted.
Earlier this year, Health Minister Joe Phaahla stated that the repairs at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital would be completed in 2023. Sunday World reported in May that the accident and emergency unit at the hospital, which was affected by the fire in 2021, was up and running again.
In June, a fire also broke out at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital’s open space where tents had been set up for Covid-19 screening.
No casualties were reported thanks to a quick response by the City of Joburg fire services from Dobsonville and Jabulani who extinguished the fire before it could spread to other parts of the building. The affected areas were located outside the hospital’s casualty area.
The Steve Biko Academic Hospital was also gutted by fire when a Wendy house used as a temporary storage area for Covid-19 medical waste and an in-transit corpse area went up in smoke in May.
No casualties were reported and patients were temporarily evacuated as a safety precaution. It is believed that cigarettes could have been the cause of the blaze.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here
