HSA west block closed for inspections
Hospital building to undergo investigations following fire that killed six people
JOHOR BARU: The entire west block of the main building of the Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) is closed immediately following a fire that killed six people and another minor incident within 24 hours.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said this was to allow the concession company and the engineering team to inspect the block, including its wiring, utilities, biomedical gas and structure.
Most of the services in the block, he added, would be temporarily affected following the closure that was expected to last between two and four weeks.
“Some of the 477 patients warded in the block will be transferred to Hospital Sultan Ismail and Hospital Permai. We have also asked private hospitals around here to help out,” he said.
Among the affected services are the intensive care unit (ICU), the blood bank, the emergency and trauma ward and other departments.
The army, Dr Subramaniam told reporters after a surprise visit to HSA here yesterday, had agreed to set up a mobile operating theatre capable of carrying out minor surgeries within the hospital grounds.
On Tuesday, fire broke out at the hospital’s ICU, killing six people warded at the south wing on the second floor of the five-storey building and causing the evacuation of patients and staff.
Barely 24 hours later, an electrical spark caused smoke to engulf an operating theatre. However, no one was injured in the second incident.
Dr Subramaniam urged those who sought regular treatment at HSA to head to other public hospitals, adding that a location had also been identified in Pasir Gudang for a new general hospital. Construction is expected to begin next year.
“Once the new hospital is completed, it will ease congestion at HSA,” he added.
On a report by The Star that there had been at least seven other fires in the hospital before the latest incidents, Dr Subramaniam said the management had taken steps against the fires before.
“I do believe that for any upgrade or renovation works being carried out in HSA, the management has adhered to the rules and regulations,” he said.