Six patients killed, 11 people injured in JB hospital blaze

JOHOR BAHRU — A fire at Johor's largest hospital killed six patients and injured 11 people on Tuesday (Oct 25), officials said. The blaze, which broke out at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the second floor of the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru, also forced the mass evacuation of patients and medical personnel.

The fire broke out around 9am, and its cause is still unknown, according to a statement from Malaysian Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam. But the Associated Press quoted Johor Bahru (South) Police assistant commissioner Sulaiman Salleh saying that an initial probe showed that faulty wiring may have started the fire. 

The six who were killed, four women and two men, were patients in the ICU. A seventh patient in the same ward, a man, survived the blaze but suffered 80 per cent burns on his body. The victims were all in their 50s. TODAY understands that no Singaporeans were among those affected by the fire.

“We believe that all the victims died due to suffocation caused by the thick smoke in the ward,” Asst Comm Sulaiman was quoted saying by The Star. 

Ten hospital staff members were injured during the fire, Dr Subramaniam said in a statement. He added: "My thoughts and deepest sympathies to the families affected by this unfortunate incident. On behalf of Ministry of Health we would like to offer our deepest condolences." 

The Sultanah Aminah Hospital is the largest in Johor state and have been used by members of the Johor royalty in the past.

Asst Comm Sulaiman said that there were 193 staff and 294 patients at the hospital at the time of the incident. He added that there were eight staff and seven patients in the ICU when the fire broke out.

Meanwhile, The New Straits Times reported that a special squad from the Health Ministry will review the safety and crisis management procedures in all of Malaysia's 145 public hospitals, in the aftermath of Tuesday's fire at Sultanah Aminah Hospital. 

Dr Subramaniam, who visited the hospital on Tuesday afternoon, urged the public not to fan speculations about the cause of the fire. According to NST, some social media posts have suggested the fire could have been set off by a mobile phone that was plugged into a charger next to an oxygen tank.

"That is only a rumour. The authorities are still carrying out their investigations,” the Health Minister was quoted saying by the Malaysian daily. AGENCIES