After JB fire, wiring at all hospitals to be checked

A fire broke out at the women’s ward of Hospital Sultanah Aminah yesterday. All 24 patients were evacuated. (Bernama pic)

PEKAN: Urgent checks will be made of electrical wiring at all government hospitals, in the wake of a fire at Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) in Johor Baru yesterday.

Health minister Adham Baba said several critical allocations have been approved for that purpose. “We will see that electrical systems are checked nationwide,” he said after visiting the Chini Health Clinic near here today.

A fire broke out at the HSA women’s ward yesterday, leading to the evacuation of all 24 patients. There were no casualties.

The fire was the second in less than four years. Six people died when fire broke out on the second floor of the hospital’s intensive care unit in October 2016.

Adham expressed his gratitude to the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who has agreed to bear the cost of repairing the HSA women’s ward.

“As requested by the sultan, the Fire and Rescue Department, the Public Works Department and the health ministry will come out with the best plan.

“I visited the area yesterday and saw the areas to be improved. The whole complex needs rewiring and upgrading and facilities for patients’ accommodation especially must be improved,” he said.

Sultan Ibrahim said earlier today that the cost of repairs would be fully borne by the Sultan Ibrahim Johor Foundation. - FMT