A new fire broke out at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital on Wednesday, affecting the main outpatient department adjacent to the already damaged emergency unit.

Fire crews are currently battling the blaze at the Ekurhuleni facility, which had already suffered extensive damage in a separate incident last Saturday. This marks the second fire at the hospital in less than a week.

“Emergency crews from the City of Ekurhuleni’s Fire Department are on-site attending to the blaze,” said department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba in a statement.

The affected outpatient area is located next to the Accident and Emergency Unit that was gutted in Saturday night’s fire. Officials have not yet established the cause of either incident.

Modiba indicated that an investigation is underway, with more details to be released once available.

The hospital was still implementing recovery operations from the weekend fire when today’s incident occurred. Following the first blaze, officials had created a temporary emergency services area within the facility.

Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, who visited the hospital after the initial fire, had praised emergency teams for safely evacuating all 81 patients without injuries.

“I wish to emphasise that the origin of the fire is still under investigation. We await the official forensic report,” Nkomo-Ralehoko stated after the first incident. Multiple investigative units have been working at the site.

Hospital operations had been adjusted with ambulance services diverted to other facilities, though walk-in patients were still being accommodated. Essential services including acute care, maternal and child health, mental health, and chronic disease management had continued in designated areas.

The emergency unit destroyed in Saturday’s fire had recently undergone renovations to meet occupational health and safety standards, according to Nkomo-Ralehoko.

Authorities have not yet indicated whether the two fires might be related or if there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding the incidents.

The provincial health department is expected to provide an update on the impact of this second fire and any adjustments to patient care once the current situation is contained.