A 41-year-old woman set herself on fire in an isolation ward at Durban’s Clairwood Hospital, burning the entire ward.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has launched an investigation into a tragic incident. The incident happened on Thursday morning,
KZN Woman Sets Herself On Fire At Clairwood Hospital
The 41-year-old woman reportedly set herself on fire in an isolation ward, leading to her death and widespread damage in the hospital’s Internal Medicine unit.
The blaze, which ignited in the early hours, prompted a swift evacuation of 23 patients from an adjacent ward as flames began to spread.
“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 confirmed.
Emergency responders from the eThekwini Fire Department successfully extinguished the fire, allowing hospital staff to relocate affected patients to other wards within the facility. While the woman tragically succumbed to the flames at the scene, no other injuries were reported, according to the department.
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Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson on Health, Dr. Imran Keeka, commended the hospital staff for their quick actions in ensuring patients’ safety and acknowledged the efforts that prevented further tragedy.
EMS Vehicles Crash After Smashing Cows
EMS Bus Crashes [Image: IOL]Meanwhile, the department also reported two separate accidents involving its Emergency Medical Services (EMS) vehicles. Both crashes occurred after EMS drivers struck stray animals on the road, causing them to lose control.
In the first incident near Mbazwana, an EMS bus carrying 60 patients and two crew members overturned after hitting a cow, leading to one death among the patients while others sustained minor injuries and were transported to eMseleni Hospital for further care.
The second incident involved an EMS vehicle en route from Itshelejuba Hospital to Ngwelezane Hospital with two injured minors. This vehicle also overturned after colliding with a stray cow. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the staff, patients, or their relatives.