A catastrophe was averted yesterday when a fire that could have cost many lives at the Moto’otua Hospital was put out. The fire at the hospital’s main control circuit board room on the first floor of Acute 7 was put out just before the flames reached oxygen containers nearby.
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More than 40 patients in Acute 7 and 8 had to be evacuated while the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (F.E.S.A) battled the blaze.
F.E.S.A Commissioner, Lelevaga Fouina Mupo, said the fire could have had catastrophic consequences had it not been put out quickly.
“We have already started our investigation about how the fire started,” he said.
According to the Commissioner, the fire started from the control room and it spread quickly.
The room contains the control board, which controls the P.A System of the hospital, Power, security cameras and the fire panel.
Lelevaga said the control room is the first room the hospital officials go to identify the location of an incident that happens within the hospital.
“We responded very quickly,” said Lelevaga. “I think if the fire was not put out quickly enough, it could have spread and cost many lives at the hospital.”
The Commissioner also paid tribute to the quick action of hospital staff who immediately evacuated patients to other safe areas of the hospital.
“I think at the moment patients at Acute 7 and 8 have been moved to other areas until everything is sorted,” he said.
According to some of the patients and carers at the hospital, the fire alarm went off just after 6am.
Patients were immediately evacuated. Many were left in a state of confusion as health workers sought space to relocate them to.
Lelevaga said hospital officials have been advised to utilise all vacant areas within the hospital and close-by facilities to cater for patients for now.
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