Patients evacuate after fire hits PGH compound
Affected patients were able to evacuate safely after a fire broke out in the medicine wards of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) on Wednesday, March 13.
According to the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), wards one to three were hit by fire at 3:08 p.m. and immediately reached a second alarm at 3:11 p.m.
It was deemed under control at 3:45 p.m., and declared fire out at 4:30 p.m., as per the live updates of the University of the Philippines – Manila.
UP-PGH spokesperson Jonas del Rosario told the media that the fire started at the audio-visual room (AVR) at the back of Ward 1.
He added that around 180 patients from wards one to four, the Central Adult and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (Cenicu), and the Medical Intensive Care Unit, were able to evacuate the area safely.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) said in the statement that it has directed all DOH hospitals in NCR to accommodate the evacuated patients who will be needing transfers.
“In light of Fire Prevention Month, the DOH is instructing all its hospitals to review their fire evacuation plans and conduct risk analyses for fire prevention on their premises,” it added.
Following the incident, work operations in the Central Block of the PGH were also suspended starting at 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday.
No casualties were reported as of writing. The authorities are currently investigating to determine the cause of the fire.