JOHOR BARU: A fire at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA), here, today, resulted in the evacuation of 24 patients at one of its women's wards.
No casualty was reported.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the incident occurred at about 3pm and was initially put under control by the hospital's emergency response team.
"However, the fire flared back up and the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) was called. They arrived within five minutes and the fire was put out within 10 minutes.
"There were 24 patients in the ward that were evacuated by the emergency response team and the staff. 10 of the patients have been transferred to the Permai Hospital as some of them need to be isolated while the rest were transferred to other wards in the hospital," said Dr Adham.
He said no injuries were reported and relatives of the patients can get more information from the hospital.
"The cause of the fire is still being investigated. We will wait for the forensic report from JBPM to ascertain if the cause is similar to the previous fire or not," said Dr Adham at a press conference.
He said the ward is located in an old hospital complex and the authorities will make necessary improvements once the investigation has been completed.
"The ward will be closed until it is declared safe by JBPM and the Public Works Department."
On October 25, 2016, a fire broke out at the hospital's intensive care unit causing the death of six patients and forced hundred others to be evacuated.
It was reported that a burnt capacitor in one of the ceiling lights had been identified as one of the causes of the fire at the hospital.
Meanwhile, Johor JBPM director Datuk Yahya Madis said the forensics report on the fire is expected to be completed within the next one or two days.
"A total of 60 personnel from our headquarters and the Larkin, Johor Jaya and Tebrau stations were involved in the operations today," said Yahya.