Cape Town - Vredendal police are investigating a possible case of arson following a fire at the Vredendal Hospital during the early hours of Sunday morning.
Hospital staff and patients were forced to temporarily evacuate the facility after a fire broke out at 3.45am on Sunday morning.
Fire and Rescue Services arrived at the scene at approximately 3.50am and all wards and the emergency centre were evacuated.
Patients in Wards A and C and the emergency centre returned to the wards once it was declared safe by service personnel.
Ward B patients are being accommodated in a newly renovated ward at the hospital that was unaffected by the blaze.
The provincial Health and Wellness Department said no injuries were reported and the cause of the fire was being investigated. The department said the transfer of patients to other facilities was not necessary and residents of the Matzikama sub-district were still able to access the emergency centre for care.
Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo was expected to visit the hospital on Wednesday to assess the damages.
“This will assist me to come up with the working strategy moving forward after this tragic occurrence. I thank our staff for ensuring the safe evacuation of the patients,” Mbombo said.
The department said the cause of the fire would be confirmed by local authorities pending an official investigation.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi confirmed that the Vredendal police had registered a case of arson for further investigation.
Anyone with information that can assist the police is urged to call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.