Short circuit forces panic evacuation at HSA
JOHOR BAHRU: A short circuit that triggered sparks at the main building of the Sultanah Aminah Hospital yesterday forced a panic evacuation of patients and staff a day after a fire at the hospital claimed six lives.
The incident did not involve any sabotage, terrorism or crime. ACP Sulaiman Salleh, Johor Bahru South Police chief
The short circuit occurred after some of the water used in the postfire clean-up seeped into a plug point.
Johor Bahru South police chief ACP Sulaiman Salleh said following the incident, the first floor of the main building was closed for 24 hours for the purpose of monitoring.
“The incident did not involve any sabotage, terrorism or crime,” he told reporters at the hospital.
The short circuit set off the alarm at 1.45pm and an order went out for the immediate evacuation of all patients and staff to the parking lot in front of the building.
Sulaiman said the first floor of the building housed the operation theatre that was undergoing renovation.
Johor Fire and Rescue Department director Othman Abdullah, in a statement, confirmed that water during the cleaning process seeped into a plug point and triggered the sparks.
The department’s assistant director (operations) Mohd Rizal Buang, when approached by reporters, said a fire truck and seven fire fighters would be stationed at the hospital until the investigation and clean-up had been completed.
Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said he was informed of the sudden evacuation and advised the hospital staff not to panic.
Following the use of water to douse the fire yesterday, electrical sockets could still be wet and triggered the short circuit, he told Bernama after attending the weekly state executive council meeting at Bangunan Datuk Jaafar here.
Ayub said the electrical wiring in the building was being tested to determine whether it could function well or otherwise.
“I was informed that the Engineering Division of the Health Ministry and the Sultanah Aminah Hospital were constantly monitoring the situation,” he said. — Bernama