One person has died and 24 others were injured on Saturday due to a fire that broke out at Ibn Rushd Psychiatric Hospital in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
The Syrian Ministry of Health stated in a release that around 2:30 PM, a fire ignited in a room in the vicinity of the patient wards in Ibn Rushd Psychiatric Hospital in Damascus. “Immediately, the hospital staff, emergency medical services, fire brigade, civil defense, and all relevant entities responded and were present on the scene.”
The ministry clarified that “Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire, which was extinguished in less than half an hour and its spread to nearby areas was prevented.”
The statement further revealed that the casualty toll stood at “one fatality and 24 individuals receiving necessary treatment at Ibn al-Nafis Hospital, including three staff members from Ibn Rushd Hospital, 16 patients, and 5 of their companions.”
Syrian Health Minister Hassan Mohammed al-Ghabbash, who accompanied the injured individuals evacuated to Ibn al-Nafis Hospital, is closely monitoring their health status along with the concerned directors in the Ministry of Health.
The Syrian Health Ministry confirmed that “all patients and their companions are in good health, and they received all lifesaving services on-site at ‘Ibn Rushd Hospital’, during safe transportation ‘via ambulances’, and therapeutic care at Ibn al-Nafis Hospital, with the presence of all relevant medical staff and the availability of all necessary supplies.”
