The provincial health department confirmed another fire at Tembisa hospital in Ekurhuleni.
A fresh fire threat has been confirmed at the already devasted Tembisa Hospital.
The fire comes four days after several sections of the Tembisa Hospital were gutted by fire, severely affecting medical services at the facility.
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) confirmed on Wednesday morning that emergency responders were on scene dealing with a new blaze.
Tembisa hospital fire
Despite the morning rains in Gauteng, the department confirmed the responders were on scene at roughly 7am.
“The GDoH can confirm that fire fighters from the City of Ekurhuleni’s Fire Department are currently on site attending to what looks like another fire incident at the Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital’s main out-patient department,” the department stated.
“This area is adjacent to the Accident and Emergency Unit which burned on Saturday night. More details will be shared later as the matter is being investigated,” the department added.
Saturday’s fire saw 81 patients removed from the emergency unit, while 26 staff members were accounted for unharmed.
Two patients were moved to the intensive care unit, one to high care and 17 were sent to other hospitals in the province.
The department stated that 50 were accommodated in the antenatal unit, while four were discharged and another seven left on their own.
Unit closed until further notice
Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited the hospital the following day to evaluate the site.
The emergency unit will be closed until further notice while authorities and forensic investigators search for answers.
“At this moment no one knows the cause of the fire incident. There are several investigations that are underway by various institutions as required by law and their response mandates,” stated the MEC.
“We will restore the damaged unit. We will continue caring for our patients, and we will continue communicating openly and honestly as we recover,” Nkomo-Ralehoko concluded.
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