Another tragedy for Croatia’s troubled healthcare system.
On Friday afternoon, a fire occurred at the Lopača Psychiatric Hospital near Rijeka. As many as 37 firefighters came to the scene with ten vehicles to extinguish the fire and evacuate the patients, reports Večernji List on August 18, 2018.
Unfortunately, one patient died in the fire, while 16 people were injured. One person with severe burns is being treated in Rijeka, and it is not known whether the person is in a life-threatening condition. Another 15 people who inhaled smoke also received medical help.
At the time the fire broke out, there were 90 patients in the hospital. The fire started on the third floor and then spread to the fourth floor and the roof. In the fire, four rooms on the third floor have been completely destroyed. The fourth floor included immobile patients, so their evacuation was a priority for the firefighters.
The scene of the incident was immediately visited by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Health Minister Milan Kujundžić.
“Unfortunately, a tragedy occurred at the psychiatric hospital in Lopača. According to the available information, one patient has unfortunately died, but thanks to the efforts of the hospital staff and firefighters from Rijeka, Čavle, Jelenje and Bakar, all other patients have been rescued. They are now located in a hospital in Rijeka, and some of them will be transported to Karlovac and Ogulin hospitals. With the great sacrifice of medical staff, firefighters and hospital employees, everything was done to avoid an even worse tragedy, given the difficult condition of the patients,” Prime Minister Plenković said.
“I was immediately informed what happened. Unfortunately, hospital buildings are in a deteriorating condition and unfortunately such accidents happen. We will wait for the insurance estimate and then will do everything we can to help. All patients will be provided for. All the services reacted as they should have,” said Kujundžić.
Firefighters stayed on the site throughout the night to make sure the fire does not restart. The hospital is surrounded by a forest, so there was a possibility that the fire could have spread to the surrounding vegetation.
According to the latest information, the fire broke out in the main building, in one of the rooms there. The exact reason will be determined after an investigation.
Translated from Večernji List.
