KUCHING: Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) will carry out comprehensive inspections of its electrical wiring and enhance maintenance of its Air Handling Unit (AHU) system after two separate incidents on Tuesday (Oct 1), one of which involved fire.
According to a statement from the Sarawak State Health Department, the incidents led to the evacuation of patients and staff.
The first occurred at 1pm when the smell of smoke was detected in the Specialist Clinic area.
“An investigation by the Fire and Rescue Department found that no fire had occurred. The smoke was traced to a malfunction in the AHU due to a failed rubber component,” it said.
The second incident happened at 4.50pm and was caused by a small spark involving an air conditioning unit in the Urology Ward.
“The situation was successfully controlled using a fire extinguisher in the ward, and no fire spread occurred. The investigation confirmed that the incident was due to an electrical wiring issue in the air conditioning unit,” the statement read.
In both cases, patients and staff were evacuated safely following fire safety protocols. After thorough inspections by the Fire Department and hospital authorities, all were allowed to return, and services in the affected areas resumed the same day.
“As a preventive measure, comprehensive inspections of the electrical wiring system and maintenance of the AHU system at Sarawak General Hospital will be enhanced to ensure all components function properly,” it said.
The Sarawak State Health Department expressed its appreciation to the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department for their cooperation in handling these incidents.
“The department is continuously committed to ensuring the safety of patients, visitors, and staff at health facilities at all times,” it added.
