Police arson probe follows Brackenfell hospital blaze

Firefighters were at the scene for two hours.

Police are investigating whether arson was behind a fire at a Brackenfell hospital.

The fire broke out at Mediclinic Cape Gate on Monday night.

The police were notified at 8pm and firefighters were already on the scene when they got there, says Brackenfell police spokeswoman Captain Erica Crous.

“According to our reports, the fire started outside the hospital, at the staff entrance,” she said.

Forensic pathologists had advised the police to open an arson case after ruling out an electrical fault as the cause of the fire, she said.

Two people were treated for smoke inhalation, and five patients in intensive care were moved to another ward when the fire reached the first floor of the hospital.

According to the hospital’s spokeswoman, Madali Groenewald, the fire started at the hospital’s training room.

“No patients were injured but five patients in ICU were rapidly relocated to another ICU ward,” she said.

The City’s Fire and Rescue Service spokesman, Jermaine Carelse, said firefighters had taken nearly two hours to extinguish the fire.

Firefighters from Kraaifontein, Durbanville, Brackenfell and Bellville had responded to the call.

“Two persons were treated for smoke inhalation and no other injuries were reported,” he said.