Probe after patient dies in hospital fire

THE cause of a fire that broke out in one of Groote Schuur Hospital’s wards, killing an elderly man, is still being investigated.

The provincial health department and hospital management have expressed their condolences to the family of the 63-year-old man who died when the fire started in ward G17, a general ward, on Sunday morning.

Groote Schuur Hospital spokesperson Alaric Jacobs said staff were the first to respond to the scene and attempted to extinguish the fire, while other staff alerted the fire services.

“Our staff immediately evacuated patients from the ward, and thankfully the fire was contained to that ward only, which was extinguished by the fire department.

“Unfortunately, one patient died as a result of the fire. All other patients were accounted for with no further injuries,” he said.

The provincial health department was working closely with police and the fire department to establish the cause of the fire.

City Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Theo Layne said teams responded to the fire at about 10.30pm.

“As a result of that fire, one adult male had sustained fatal burns. No other injuries were reported,” Layne said, adding one bed and a bedside table were damaged in the fire.

Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana confirmed police were investigating the matter.