Torrevieja Hospital Fire - 2 Injured + 10 Treated Smoke Inhalation

[Carl]

https://www.informacion.es/vega-baja/20 ... 35911.html

Google translate, minus video and images:

Two injured after a fire at Torrevieja Hospital that forces the evacuation of the second floor

The patient in the room where the fire originated suffered burns to 40% of his body and had to be airlifted to Valencia, while another remains in the ICU due to smoke inhalation, in addition to ten workers treated and 90 people relocated.

The second floor of the University Hospital of Torrevieja had to be evacuated after a fire broke out this Friday at 12:09 pm.

The fire originated in room 277, in the second right wing, where the patient was injured with second and third degree burns on 40% of his body, so he was transferred by helicopter to the burn unit of the La Fe Hospital in Valencia, which is a national reference.

The patient in the room opposite, number 278, has been admitted to the ICU for smoke inhalation with a guarded prognosis .

In addition, ten workers, including healthcare, security, and cleaning staff, were treated for smoke inhalation after participating in the rescue and evacuation efforts. One of them, a nursing assistant who performed heroic work - according to her colleagues - is in intensive care, although her condition is improving.

Causes

According to initial investigations, which are still awaiting official confirmation, the fire department has ruled out a technical cause for the fire, and everything points to a possible human factor as the cause, probably due to negligence on the part of a patient, although other hypotheses suggest that it may be due to the oxygen bottle.

Performances

Five fire crews from the Torrevieja and Orihuela fire stations were dispatched to the scene and worked to extinguish the blaze until it was brought under control around 1:20 p.m. Afterwards, they focused on ventilating the affected area to remove smoke and gases.

Five hours later, at 5:18 p.m., a fire crew of one corporal and three firefighters remained on scene, continuing ventilation efforts. Two hours later - seven hours after it started - the provincial fire consortium declared the fire extinguished, at 7:00 p.m.

Numerous patrols from the Civil Guard and the Local Police have also been present since the beginning, as well as the Councilor for Emergencies, Federico Alarcón, and the Councilor for Health, Rosa María Cañón.

Evacuation

The evacuation of the second floor, which houses the Maternity, Oncology, and Internal Medicine departments, was carried out as a precaution while the extent of the fire was assessed and the area secured. Although the fire was quickly extinguished, smoke spread. As a result, 90 patients had to be relocated, who "are now perfectly accommodated in other rooms," explained the Minister of Health, Marciano Gómez , who traveled to the hospital to closely monitor the situation and learn firsthand about the condition of those affected.

In a press conference at 4 p.m., he stressed that " the safety and purity of the air is the first thing we want for our patients so that they can breathe without any trace of CO2."

In a press conference at 4 p.m., he stressed that " the safety and purity of the air is the first thing we want for our patients so that they can breathe without any trace of CO2."

Resources

The incident has also led the regional health authority to mobilize resources from the interdepartmental health group of southern Alicante, which includes the hospitals of Orihuela and Elche, to care for patients who cannot be treated in Torrevieja.

Gómez stated that the emergency department continues to operate normally, although scheduled appointments for Rehabilitation and Radiology, located on the affected floor, have been suspended. Radiology will resume operations on Monday, while Rehabilitation will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Finally, the councilor thanked the "excellent and supportive" work of the healthcare staff and the fire consortium: "Their actions have been key," because "the rapid activation of emergency protocols and the training of healthcare personnel in these types of emergencies has made it possible to avoid greater consequences."

[Carl]

Update.

Google translate, minus video and images:

A patient's cigarette was the cause of the fire at Torrevieja Hospital

The fire left two patients injured, ten workers treated, and forced the relocation of 90 patients from the second floor.

The fire that broke out this Friday at the Torrevieja University Hospital now has a primary cause. The blaze left two people injured, one with serious burns, a dozen employees treated for smoke inhalation, and 90 patients relocated to other areas of the hospital.

According to sources familiar with the investigation, the trigger was a patient's cigarette that was near an oxygen tank. The incident occurred minutes after noon on the second floor of the hospital.

Everything indicates that a patient carrying an oxygen tank left his room and entered another empty room with a cigarette and a lighter. When he lit the cigarette, a deflagration occurred, leading to the fire.

The patient suffered second- and third-degree burns over 40% of his body. The severity of his injuries necessitated his transfer by helicopter to the Burn Unit at La Fe Hospital in Valencia. Another patient, who was hospitalized near the affected area, had to be taken to the Intensive Care Unit due to smoke inhalation.

In addition, ten hospital workers, including healthcare, security, and cleaning staff, received medical attention after participating in the rescue and evacuation efforts. Among them was a nursing assistant who was admitted to intensive care, although her condition was improving.

Eviction

The fire broke out at 12:09 PM in room 277, located in the right wing of the second floor. The accumulation of smoke forced the activation of the Evacuation Plan and the precautionary evacuation of this entire area of ​​the building, which houses services such as Maternity, Oncology, and Internal Medicine.

In total, 90 patients were moved to other rooms within the hospital while the extent of the fire was assessed and the safety of the affected area was ensured. The evacuation allowed patients and staff to be moved away from a floor where smoke had spread rapidly.

Five fire crews from the Torrevieja and Orihuela fire stations were dispatched to the hospital. The flames were brought under control around 1:20 p.m., although work continued throughout the afternoon to ventilate the ward and remove accumulated smoke and gases. The fire was declared extinguished around 7:00 p.m.

Civil Guard and local police officers also arrived at the center. The Minister of Health, Marciano Gómez, went to the hospital to assess the situation of those affected and monitor the progress of the operation.

Changes in hospital activity

The fire forced a reorganization of some healthcare services at Torrevieja Hospital. The Emergency Department continued to operate normally, but scheduled appointments in Radiology and Rehabilitation, located on the affected floor, had to be suspended.

The plan announced after the fire is for Radiology to resume operations on Monday, while Rehabilitation will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday. Resources from other hospitals in the southern part of the province, including those in Orihuela and Elche, have also been mobilized to address any needs while services are fully restored in the affected areas.

[Bee]

Them fags are very dangerous weapons in the wrong hands. Obviously the need for the oxygen in the first place was caused by the fags

Bee

[Carl]

Them fags are very dangerous weapons in the wrong hands. Obviously the need for the oxygen in the first place was caused by the fags

Bee

Not trying to take anything anyway from the seriousness of the incident and injuries that others sustained, but if that patient was trying to hide having a crafty cigarette by going into an empty room to light-up, he/she did not make a very good job of it. We know where you were!

[Brandyboy]

Further to this case, below is a comment posted on Talk Quesada dated today... Apparently the patient wasn't 'restrained' enough. !!

"I spoke to one of the consultants at the hospital on Monday, apparently the patient had been restrained, tied to the bed, he got a lighter and tried to burn the bandage to release himself. Unfortunately next to the oxygen."

[Bee]

That sounds like barbaric treatment to tie somebody to a bed and leave them unattended. I thought that kind of inhuman treatment ended long ago.

Bee

[Brandyboy]

Well you can't believe everything you read on social media and I personally prefer the going to the next room for crafty fag version.

[Carl]

That sounds like barbaric treatment to tie somebody to a bed and leave them unattended. I thought that kind of inhuman treatment ended long ago.

Bee

I doubt if tying someone to a bed is common practice, although this would not be the first time I had heard about it at Torrevieja Hospital, and others might remember the case.

Perhaps 15 - 20 years ago, a doctor who ran a digital (?) body scanning practice in Punta Prima was in the local English print media and was going to sue health bosses having been put in restraints on a bed at the hospital. I have a name of Dr Mani (?) in my mind, operated his practice out of a residential property in Punta Prima, advertised in the local press, and leaflets for his practice were widely distributed offering discount for couples. Not sure what the outcome of his legal action was.