MANILA – A portion of the government-run Philippine General Hospital (PGH) was on fire on Sunday morning, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection-Manila (BFP-Manila).
The fire started at the operating room on the third floor past midnight, a report said. It reached the first alarm at 12:41 a.m. and was raised to the second level at 12:58 a.m.
A total of 14 fire trucks across Metro Manila responded to the scene and the fire was declared under control at 2:46 a.m. before it was put out at 5:41 a.m.
The BFP-Manila said no one was hurt from the incident but an investigation is ongoing to determine what triggered the hospital fire.
PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas Del Rosario said some occupants who evacuated were allowed to return to their rooms. However, some wards have no electricity.
Twelve babies from the neonatal intensive care units were transferred to nearby Sta. Ana Hospital, while two patients needing appendectomy were moved to Ospital ng Maynila.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients were also evacuated. Those who were in the intensive care unit were temporarily brought to the charity ward. Others were brought to the emergency room near the OB department.
Del Rosario said the hospital’s emergency room was temporarily closed as some pay patients were moved there. No admissions were accommodated as of Sunday.
PGH is the largest COVID-19 referral hospital in the country with its COVID-19 bed capacity under the moderate classification, based on Department of Health data./PN
