Bomba Malaysia has confirmed that a fire at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) in Johor Bahru has left 6 patients, including 4 women and 2 men, dead.
The fire, which broke out at the southern Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the 2nd floor of the hospital, started at around 8:55am today (Tuesday, 25th October).
The Director of Johor’s Fire and Rescue Department Othman Abdullah said 166 firemen and 10 emergency vehicles were rushed to HSA at 8:56am. According to Bomba Malaysia, a total of 7 patients were trapped in the ICU – 1 survived while 6 others died.
“There were 7 critically ill patients in the ICU who, according to doctors, were dependent on ventilators under normal circumstances and could not be moved without their beds,” Othman said, adding that the fire did not spread to other areas of the hospital.
In a statement, Minister of Health Dr S. Subramaniam said he was “deeply saddened” by the news and that authorities have “taken the necessary actions to control the fire and to rescue the patients/staff affected by the incident”.
“The Ministry of Health has taken all necessary rescue actions and precautions to safeguard the rest of the patients and staff, including evacuating them to ensure their safety. The cause of the fire is still under investigation and all relevant agencies are working together to keep the situation under control,” the statement added.
The Sultanah Aminah Hospital is the biggest hospital in Johor. The patient who survived the fire has been transferred to the Burn Unit at Sultan Ismail Hospital (about 17km away) while 2 of the affected hospital staff have been sent to a nearby hospital for treatment.
As at time of writing, the cause of the fire is still unknown.
Sources: Bomba Malaysia, Bernama via CNA.
