Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – Normal operations at the only referral government hospital in Grand Bassa County has been halted as a result of a fire outbreak.
The incident occurred by 11: 45 pm on Thursday, March 30 while admitted patients were undergoing treatment.
Isaac Bannie, administrator of the hospital, told reporters that fire started from the generator room and mortuary.
“Five generators 150 KVA, 70KVA amongst others got burn and they are the only generators the hospital depends on to provide electricity while patients are undergoing treatment”, Bannie said.
Bannie thanked resident within the proximity of the hospital for helping t put off the fire.
When the incident started, all patients were transferred to ArcelorMittal hospital and the St. Peter Clever Catholic hospital for safety, the administrator said.
He stressed that the hospital cannot run without electricity, adding that the hospital has stopped operations until the problem can be settled.
Honorable Matthew Joe, Representative of Buchanan district, said the Grand Bassa legislative caucus is going to work to solve the problem quickly.
“I am very unhappy because that hospital is the only big hospital in this county, we have been thinking about helping to improve the hospital and this other trouble has occurred,” Joe asserted.
“This is a set back to our county and we must settle this through the help of all of us”.
Harmon Johnson, a resident of Buchanan, expressed fear that if the electricity matter is not settled more lives would be lost.
“Every day people get sick and only the government hospital we depend on for treatment,” Johnson said.
The cause of the fire is yet to be established, as investigation is ongoing.
In 2017, the doctors’ residence adjacent the hospital was also gutted by fire.
Up to present the actual cause is yet to be established by locals speculated it was caused by electrical fault.
Report by Elton Wrionbee Tiah, FPA Contributor