Laloki psychiatric hospital loses forensic ward to fire

By LULU MARK
THE Laloki Public Psychiatric Hospital (LPPH) lost its forensic ward to fire on Tuesday, acting chief executive officer Dr Losavati Daugunu said.
Daugunu said there were five patients (two forensic and three general patients) in the ward when the fire started at around 6.30pm on Tuesday.
She said staff moved in
very quickly, switched off the main switch and evacuated the patients.
“Fortunately, the youths from the community came around and assisted the staff in containing the fire until the fire fighters arrived,” Daugunu said.
For a hospital that had water issues, she said bore water was used to fight the fire.
Daugunu said the ward was completely burnt inside and would require a thorough renovation before patients could be housed there.
“Due to funding issues, we have scaled down the number of patients and we now have only 14,” she said.
“There are other three wards that we will be using.
“This incident sends a big message to the staff of Laloki to change our attitude and take ownership and work together despite the challenges.”
Daugunu said it was claimed that the fire started when one of the general patients burnt a mattress in his room with a match (an item patients were not allowed to have in their possession).
Fire Service Chief Supt Robert Waninara said firemen responded swiftly when the incident was reported and they contained the fire and saved two wings.
He said it would have been catastrophic for the patients and the Health Department if the firemen were not there.
“There was no casualties in the fire.” Chief Fire Officer Bill Roo commended his men and thanked the staff of PNG Power who were there on time to disconnect power, police, ESS security personnel and St John Ambulance.
Roo said investigations into the cause of the fire had started.