• Patients, staff evacuated
• No cause for alarm – CMD
From Oluseye Ojo Ibadan
A section of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and one theatre of the foremost teaching hospital in Nigeria, the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, was engulfed in flames on Saturday.
Patients, medical personnel, and other visitors were forced to flee for their lives as the fire could not be contained with sophisticated fire extinguishers in the facility.
While there were no immediate reports of casualties, the inferno caused the loss of some vital medical equipment worth millions of naira.
The incident reportedly began around 10:25 am in one of the offices and rapidly spread to the adult section of the ICU.
Some eyewitness accounts said the scene caused fear and confusion within the hospital community as oxygen cylinders used for life support exploded. Security personnel also revealed that highly combustible medical equipment contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
A member of the rescue team said: “The incident started around 10:25 am. The entire hospital community was thrown into a state of confusion as people scampered for safety. The hospital management quickly mobilised our team to evacuate patients to another ward for proper care.”
It was further gathered that efforts to put out the fire didn’t yield the desired results as a result of the architectural design of the ICU which hindered access to the affected part. It took combined efforts of fire services from SUMAL, University College Hospital, University of Ibadan, Oyo State Fire Services, and Federal Fire Services to bring the situation under control.
Unverified reports said the inferno might have been caused by a power surge that started in one office and rapidly spread to the ICU. Despite the loss of medical equipment, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the UCH, Prof Jesse Otegbayo, expressed relief that all patients were safely evacuated and no life was lost.
A release issued by the Public Relations Officer, ‘Funmi Adetuyibi, said the hospital successfully contained the fire and ensured that services were not impacted. Prof Otegbayo, therefore, thanked the fire brigades, the media, and the hospital staff for their efforts in addressing the situation. He reiterated his commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property at the UCH.
Otegbayo, who could not ascertain the cause of the incident, said an investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the fire incident had already commenced with a view to forestalling the future occurrence.
He explained that a fire service station was already under construction at the main entrance of the hospital to safeguard a repeat of the incident. “A purpose-built fire station is currently in the works,” he said.
Otegbayo, however, assured patients in need of medical attention that the hospital would continue to run as always and that there was no cause for alarm. He added that adequate arrangements had been made to ensure that services were not disrupted both at the ICU and the hospital in general.