A fire broke out in the early hours of the morning at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria. The blaze was reported at around 00:45, prompting a swift response from the City of Tshwane’s Emergency Communication Centre (ECC).
Hospital staff and management initiated evacuation procedures before firefighters arrived and assisted in moving patients and staff to unaffected wards.
The fire originated in the plant room on the 7th floor, where lithium-ion batteries in the Uninterrupted Power System (UPS) caught fire. An electrician isolated the power supply to prevent further damage.
Smoke from the fire spread to the 6th-floor ICU, requiring the evacuation of 20 adult patients and one pediatric patient to other hospital ICUs.
Firefighters used mechanical ventilation units to clear the smoke.
The fire was fully extinguished by 04:42. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
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