A fire broke out at Pretoria’s Steve Biko Academic Hospital in the early hours of Saturday morning, prompting a swift evacuation of patients and staff.
Story Summary:
- A fire broke out at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria early Saturday morning, originating in the Uninterrupted Power System.
- Emergency services and hospital staff successfully evacuated 21 patients from the ICU with no injuries reported.
- The fire was extinguished within four hours, and the affected areas are being evaluated for safety.
Steve Biko Hospital fire: What we know
Emergency services were alerted to the blaze at approximately 00:45, with firefighters arriving shortly thereafter.
According to the City of Tshwane Emergency Communication Centre, hospital management and staff had already begun evacuation procedures by the time firefighters arrived.
The fire was traced to the Uninterrupted Power System (UPS) in the plant room on the seventh floor.
According to City of Tshwane officials, the UPS, which includes lithium-ion batteries designed as a backup during power outages, caught fire and caused significant smoke to spread to other areas of the hospital.
Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames and used three positive-pressure ventilation units to remove smoke from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the sixth floor.
The ICU housed 20 adult patients and one paediatric patient, all of whom were successfully evacuated and transferred to other ICUs in unaffected wards.
An electrician from the hospital assisted by isolating the power supply to prevent further damage. Emergency crews extinguished the fire by 04:42.
UPS systems, particularly those equipped with lithium-ion batteries, are vital in South Africa, where rolling blackouts make uninterrupted power supplies a necessity in homes, hospitals, and businesses.
However, the Steve Biko Academic Hospital fire casts a spotlight on the potential hazards associated with these devices when faults occur.
One of the primary risks of lithium-ion batteries is thermal runaway, a chain reaction that occurs when a battery overheats, often due to overcharging, manufacturing defects, or physical damage.
This process can lead to excessive heat generation, smoke, and even fire.
In the confined space of a plant room, such overheating can quickly escalate into a hazardous situation if ventilation is inadequate.
UPS systems rely on intricate electrical components to store and deliver power, and these systems are only as safe as their maintenance and installation standards.
Poorly maintained systems, ageing equipment, or improper installations can increase the risk of electrical faults.
For instance, damaged wiring or overloaded circuits might spark and ignite surrounding materials.
In the case of high-demand applications, such as those in hospitals, even minor defects in a UPS system can have amplified consequences.
Another critical aspect is the placement of UPS systems.
Units housed in poorly ventilated spaces are particularly susceptible to heat buildup, especially when batteries are actively cycling during power outages.
Heat without proper dissipation can strain the system, creating conditions where fires are more likely to start.
