Fire hits PGH
FIRE hit a portion of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) early Sunday morning, prompting some hospitals being run by the city government of Manila to accept transferee patients that included 14 babies.
It was learned that the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (GABMMC) in Tondo under Director Dr. Ted Martin already accepted four babies as per coordination made by the PGH.
At the Sta. Ana Hospital under its Director, Dr. Grace Padilla, now being accommodated are ten babies who were placed under neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Padilla said the babies were given antibiotics and will stay in the said hospital until they are ready for discharge.
Two adult patients meanwhile, were brought to the Ospital ng Maynila under Director Dr. Karl Laqui.
The Manila Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the PGH fire began at the hospital’s electrical room located at the third floor at 12:44 a.m. and was contained at 5:41 a.m already.
The flames spread to the linen room located on the same floor of the eight-storey Central Block Building located on Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila, so that the occupants in the said building were immediately evacuated.
Fortunately, no one was reported killed or injured in the said incident.
Fire Chief Inspector Hector Agadulin, chief of operations of the Manila BFP, said a portion of the operating room was also damaged by the fire.
PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas Del Rosario said only the supply area of the operating room was damaged.
It reportedly took a while before the patients were brought back to their respective rooms since portions lost power supply while some were filled with smoke.
Arson investigators are looking into the cause of the fire whose estimated damage to property was placed at P300,000.
