The KwaZulu-Natal health department has launched an investigation following a fire at Durban's Clairwood Hospital on Thursday.
It is believed that a 41-year-old woman set herself on fire in the early hours of Thursday morning, causing the fire to spread to the rest of the isolation ward.
“The incident occurred in an isolation ward of the hospital's Internal Medicine unit, where the patient ignited the fire. At least 23 patients were safely evacuated from an adjacent ward, which also subsequently caught alight,” the department said.
It added that patients were placed in other wards at the hospital while the eThekwini Fire Department managed to put out the fire.
The department confirmed that the woman died on scene while there were no further injuries reported.
Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson on Health, Dr Imran Keeka, has commended hospital staff for their efforts in saving the patients.
Meanwhile, the department is also looking into two other crashes involving its Emergency Medical Services (EMS). In both, drivers lost control after hitting stray animals in the road.
In the first crash, near Mbazwana, the EMS bus had been transporting 60 patients and two crew members when it overturned. The driver was reportedly lost control of the bus after hitting into a cow on the road.
"One patient who was trapped in the wrecked bus sadly passed away, while the rest of the passengers and two crew members sustained minor injuries and were transported to eMseleni Hospital," the department said.
"In the second incident, an EMS vehicle transporting two injured minors from Itshelejuba Hospital to Ngwelezane Hospital overturned when it also hit a stray cow. Fortunately, no injuries were sustained by the staff, patients, or their relatives," the department added.
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