Fire at Ramathibodi Hospital possibly caused by electrical issue

Doctors confirmed there was no hazardous radiation leak, but the hospital's blood supply was significantly damaged, prompting an urgent call for blood donations.

Forensic police have investigated the fire, which started on the 2nd floor of the hospital's 9-story main building, near the blood testing room and refrigeration unit. The fire spread to desks and documents, causing a power cut. Firefighters took over 20 minutes to control the blaze yesterday evening.

Initial findings point to an electrical issue as the cause, with CCTV footage showing sparks before the fire broke out.

Dr Arthit Angkanon, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, explained that the building where the fire occurred is 60 years old. The fire originated in the radiology office, which stores old X-ray films, located near the blood bank and pathology lab. Smoke spread to the 3rd and 4th floors, where many patients were located. The smoke dispersed throughout the building, prompting the safe evacuation of 500 patients. Firefighters took an hour to control the blaze.

As a result, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors, including the pathology, radiology, delivery, and surgery rooms, will be temporarily closed, limiting patient services until normal operations resume. While this may cause some inconvenience, fortunately, no one was injured except for a hospital staff member who was hurt while assisting patients and inhaling smoke. There was no radiation leak.

The fire also severely impacted the blood bank. The rising temperature caused blood to spoil within hours, damaging 100 units of blood and reducing the supply. This means blood usage during surgeries must be more cautious. Typically, 10-20 units are used per surgery. While the affected blood bank was a major facility, there is a smaller reserve available. The hospital is urgently requesting blood donations. Surgeries requiring large amounts of blood, such as liver transplants and heart surgeries, can be postponed.

The fire caused damage to a 50-square-meter room, mostly filled with office equipment and documents. However, the main concern lies with the medical equipment on the 3rd and 4th floors, which requires a thorough inspection. The total damage value has yet to be determined. The hospital is working quickly to resume services, starting with checks on the electrical and air conditioning systems. This process is expected to take about a week.

Police forensic officials initially revealed that the fire's origin was on the ceiling, an area that had been frequently renovated. Burn marks and melted wires were found, leading them to suspect an electrical short circuit. The wires will be further examined to determine the exact cause. Authorities are confident it was not arson, as the fire's characteristics were different. They plan to compare the wire examination results with footage from security cameras to determine if the ignition point matches the location of the melted wires.

A team of engineers from the Engineering Institute of Thailand inspected the building. Preliminary visual inspections showed the structure remains intact, with some damage observed in specific areas, particularly the 3rd-floor floor due to heat. Further detailed inspections will be carried out using equipment to assess structural integrity and perform load tests to ensure the building's safety before it can be used again.

(2025/03/12-00:00)