A fire broke out in one of the psychiatric wards at Dr George Mukhari Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa 0n 24 June 2024.
The City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department was notified of the incident at approximately at 18:44 and immediately dispatched firefighting resources to the incident.
Firefighters arrived on the scene to find that the hospital staff had already extinguished the fire in a single isolation ward using portable fire extinguishers.
A female patient aged 35 years suffered burns inside the ward and unfortunately lost her life.
She was declared dead by a medical doctor on the scene.
19 female patients were safely evacuated to another psychiatric ward with no injuries.
Firefighters conducted positive pressure ventilation to rid the ward of excessive smoke.
The scene was handed over to the South African Police Services for further handling.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Issued by the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department.