Patient sets fire to hospital bed, dies
2013-01-11 12:03
Johannesburg - Police and the Gauteng health department are
investigating an incident in which a patient allegedly started a fire in his
room at Natalspruit Hospital in Katlehong and died, the health department said
on Friday.
Provincial MEC for health, Hope Papo said the man died from
severe burn wounds after he allegedly set alight his linen and mattress in an
apparent suicide attempt on Thursday.
"The patient was admitted to the hospital in December
with 50% burn wounds, allegedly suffered when his shack caught fire," said
Papo.
"He was kept in an isolation ward to minimise chances
of infection to his wounds."
Hospital staff doused the fire in the isolated room and no
other patients were affected.
"This is a tragic incident that must be investigated in
detail to provide us with full information about how it happened, and whether
it could have been prevented," said Papo.
- SAPA
