JOHOR BAHRU, 25 October (BelTA - Bernama) - A fire at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital here today resulted in the deaths of six patients at an intensive care unit (ICU), according to the Johor Fire and Rescue Department.
Its director, Othman Abdullah, said they were among the seven patients in the southern ICU on the second floor of the hospital.
One patient was rescued by firefighters who rushed there after being notified at 8.56 am, he added.
"There were seven critically ill patients in the ICU who, according to doctors, were dependent on ventilators under normal circumstances and could not be moved without their beds," he said.
Othman said the department rushed 10 trucks and 166 firefighters to the hospital soon after it was summoned.
He said the fire did not spread to other areas of the hospital.
Meanwhile, Johor Bahru Selatan Police chief ACP Sulaiman Salleh said five of the bodies were found at 11.15 am and the sixth a little later.
A Bernama survey at 12 noon revealed the hospital compound was still congested with many patients and staff remaining outside the hospital building.
Meanwhile, Sulaiman said during the incident 294 patients and 193 hospital staff were reported to be in the same building.
The four female patients and two male patients who died were among the seven patients in the ICU while a male patient was saved from the fire.
He said other patients had been evacuated temporarily to wards in other buildings.
