A fire broke out on the 14th in the operating room of Chosun University Hospital. The hospital extinguished the fire on its own in about 10 minutes, but 35 patients and medical staff inhaled smoke, and a total of 40 individuals, including patients and medical staff, evacuated to a safe location.
According to the fire authorities, a report of a fire was received at 8:12 a.m. from operating room 7 on the 3rd floor of the new building of Chosun University Hospital in Dong-gu, Gwangju. Medical staff initiated firefighting using fire extinguishers available in the hospital and extinguished the fire in about 10 minutes.
The fire burned inside the operating room and medical equipment. Thirty-five medical staff inhaled smoke, and some are receiving oxygen therapy in the emergency room.
With smoke coming from the fire that burned inside the operating room and medical equipment, 35 patients and medical staff inhaled smoke, and some are receiving oxygen therapy in the emergency room. Forty people, including patients and medical staff, evacuated on their own. There were no casualties as no surgeries were ongoing in the operating room at the time of the fire.
The fire authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, believing it started from a multi-plug with power plugs for medical equipment.
Chosun University Hospital has 15 operating rooms, all located on the 3rd floor of the new building where the fire broke out. The hospital has temporarily suspended operations for all 15 operating rooms due to the fire. Acceptance of patients requiring emergency surgeries has also been halted. The transfer of waiting patients with scheduled surgeries to other hospitals is under review.