Surabaya Hospital Fire Leaves One Patient Dead

SURABAYA, May 15 (Bernama) -- A patient died while 27 others were evacuated after a fire broke out at the Integrated Cardiac Services Centre building of Dr Soetomo Regional General Hospital in Surabaya, East Java, on Friday morning.

The hospital’s Deputy Director of Medical and Nursing Services, Ahmad Suryawan, said the deceased patient had been dependent on life-support equipment for the lungs, heart and kidneys, and was preparing to undergo dialysis when the incident occurred.

“The patient died not because of smoke exposure, as all supporting machines remained functional during the evacuation process,” he said, according to ANTARA News Agency.

No details were available on the cause of the patient’s death as investigations are still ongoing.

Ahmad Suryawan said patients using ventilators continued to receive medical support during the evacuation from the smoke-affected area, allowing their conditions to be monitored throughout the process.

He said the hospital is awaiting investigation results from the Surabaya Fire and Rescue Agency and local police into the cause of the fire that broke out on the building’s fifth floor.

Hospital President Director Cita Rosita Sigit Prakoeswa said four staff members suffered shortness of breath after being exposed to smoke while assisting in the rescue operation, despite wearing protective equipment.

She added that the hospital had regularly conducted fire safety checks and emergency simulations as part of its mitigation efforts.

-- BERNAMA