Tragic Fire Incident Claims Life at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital's Female Psychiatric Unit
- A fire at Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital's female psychiatric unit resulted in the death of a 35-year-old patient
- 17 other patients were safely evacuated, and the cause of the fire is under investigation
- The Gauteng Department of Health has extended condolences and is offering counselling to affected families
Reitumetse Makwea, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Pretoria, South Africa, has covered court and crime-related news at The Citizen and Rekord Noweto for over five years.
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The patient, a mental healthcare user, had been admitted to the hospital on the 20th of June 2024.
Today, as part of her prescribed treatment, she was placed in a seclusion room.
At approximately 18:35 in the evening, smouldering smoke and a small fire were detected coming from the seclusion room.
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Tragic fire ravaged the ward
Hospital staff and emergency services acted swiftly to ensure the safety and well-being of all patients.
The fire brigade managed to quickly contain and extinguish the fire at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital.
Tragically, despite these efforts, the patient in the seclusion room sustained fatal injuries.
Seventeen other patients in the psychiatric unit were successfully evacuated and temporarily relocated to another wing within the psychiatric department as a precautionary measure.
Fortunately, no other patients or staff were injured during the incident.
The reason behind the fire is unknown
The fire's cause is unknown, and the incident has been reported to the South African Police Service for further investigation.
In a statement, the Gauteng Department of Health expressed its deepest condolences to the deceased patient's family:
"Our hearts go out to the patient's family as they mourn the sudden passing of their daughter. We are committed to supporting them during this difficult time."
Both the bereaved family and the families of the 17 evacuated patients will be offered debriefing sessions.
Additionally, counselling services will be made available to help them cope with the trauma of the incident.
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Source: Briefly News
