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Charlotte Maxeke Hospital Fire Contained After Ninth-Floor Blaze Allegedly Started by Patient

Attention now turns to long-planned fire-safety upgrades that still require R1.7 billion in funding.

Overview

  • Authorities confirmed a fire on the ninth floor at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital that was contained with no injuries reported.
  • Johannesburg Emergency Services said the blaze was already extinguished on arrival after security staff used fire extinguishers.
  • AllAfrica, citing EWN, reported that a female psychiatric patient allegedly set a bed alight while demanding discharge, with the cause still under investigation.
  • Patients in the affected ward were relocated as a precaution, and hospital operations continue as normal, according to officials.
  • The incident renews scrutiny of fire prevention as DA Gauteng’s Jack Bloom visited the site, while phase-one repairs continue toward an August 2026 target and broader compliance upgrades await funding.