'Smoke at Sultanah Aminah Hospital was not due to fire'

Smoke that came out from an electrical room at Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru yesterday was not due to fire, according to the hospital management.

In a statement, the hospital said an investigation revealed that the incident occurred when its “Aerohub” fire suppression system at the high voltage room was triggered by a false alarm.

"The incident did not involve any casualty or damages. The hospital's UPS (uninterrupted power system) and backup generator were functioning properly and had been activated to ensure smooth operation.

"Our security unit had also taken action to ensure the location where the incident happened was safe.

"Based on the investigation, it was found that the smoke was due to the fire suppression system being triggered by a false alarm, causing it to disperse aerosol gas," the statement said.

The statement was issued in response to a report by CodeBlue news portal, which quoted a staff member of the hospital saying that a fire had broken out at a compressor room there.

It said a video shared by the staff showed smoke coming out from the room amid the sounds of a fire alarm.

According to the article, the incident led the hospital to shut down its general operating theatre temporarily.

Meanwhile, a Johor Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson said the agency did not receive any distress call on the incident.

In 2016, six patients died in a fire at the HSA, caused by an electrical arc, coupled with the presence of gases rich in oxygen in the ceiling space above the storage room.

Another incident in June 2020 saw the patients at Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) in Johor Bahru being evacuated when a fire broke out in a ward.