A catastrophe was averted yesterday at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, thanks to the timely response of firefighting crews equipped with recently donated Belarusian fire tenders that had been gifted to the City of Harare by the Government.
Previously, the
effectiveness of the Harare Fire Brigade had been hamstrung by its obsolete
firefighting equipment, rendering it less able to contain flames.
The incident at
the hospital saw a rooftop storeroom burst into flames directly above a
surgical theatre and intensive care unit, placing vulnerable patients and
critical infrastructure at risk.
Within an
astonishingly rapid seven minutes, the Harare Fire Brigade, outfitted with the
advanced Belarusian fire engines, arrived at the scene, averting what could
have been a national tragedy at the hospital.
The
firefighting trucks were part of President Mnangagwa’s broad-based initiative
to bolster the country’s emergency response capacity, with 35 vehicles
distributed to local authorities last year.
Quick-thinking
hospital staff evacuated scores of patients, including those in critical
condition, although the number of patients exposed to the risk could not be
established by the time of going to print.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume said the rapid response and effectiveness of the fire brigade were made possible by the advanced fire tenders from Belarus.
He thanked the
Government for donating the fire tenders.
“We are
utilising the equipment that we got from the Government, the new equipment. We
also got help from the emergency services group in terms of the water tanks
that follow our fire engine to ensure that we always have water to douse the
fire,” said Mr Mafume.
The fire, which
is believed to have spread quickly due to the storage of flammable documents
and 10 solar panels on the rooftop, was contained before it could reach the
wards below.
No patients or
staff were injured and the hospital’s critical care areas remained unaffected.
“The fire
brigade responded within seven minutes of the call being made and they were
able to contain the fire after some time,” said Mr Mafume.
“We are now
looking at what could have caused the fire and trying to mop up the place and
also to see what damage could have been caused on the roof.”
Mr Mafume
praised the professionalism and dedication of the fire brigade.
“This response
was a very good response. We are appreciative of our men and women in the fire
brigade and yet another successful foray into firefighting,” he said.
Mr Mafume said
winter was considered a season prone to fires and urged caretakers in both
public and private facilities to remain vigilant about fire hazards in order to
prevent loss of life and equipment.
Civil
Protection Unit chief director Mr Nathan Nkomo commended the Government for
investing in fire safety and modern machinery.
“The
Government’s investment in modern firefighting equipment is a game-changer for
urban safety,” he said.
“Today’s
(yesterday’s) incident serves as a testament to the importance of well-equipped
emergency services in safeguarding lives and property.”
Harare City
Council acting assistant chief fire officer Mr Moses Bvumavaranda said the fire
brigade received a call around midday reporting that a fire had broken out at
Sally Mugabe Central Hospital.
“Upon arrival,
efforts to extinguish the blaze commenced, although a storeroom in one of the
hospital buildings had already been gutted,” he said.
Most of the
items that were destroyed included solar panels, decommissioned hospital beds,
files and other essential equipment. Sunday Mail
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