Around 300 patients of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) were temporarily evacuated after a portion of the hospital was gutted by a fire on Monday morning, September 16.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the fire started at 6:07 a.m. inside the hospital's audio-visual room (AVR).
It was raised to the second alarm at 6:21 a.m.
Fire responders said the fire reached the back portion of Ward 3.
Some affected patients were transferred to other wards and units within the PGH compound while patients from the Out Patient Department (OPD) were asked to stay along the Padre Faura Street to prevent them from inhaling the smoke from the fire.
Noli, one of the patients from the OPD, said that they were immediately asked to evacuate around 6 a.m. when the hospital staff noticed a thick smoke coming from the room near them.
The fire was put under control at 6:47 a.m. and extinguished at 7:08 a.m.
OPD patients were allowed to re-enter the hospital around 8 a.m.
The BFP said they need to conduct thorough mapping operations to ensure that the fire is completely extinguished.