UCH fire outbreak exaggerated – Spokesman

The Public Relations Officer of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Funmi Adetuyibi, has stated that the news and pictures on social media of a fire outbreak in the hospital are concocted portrayals of the incident that occurred in the hospital on Sunday, September 22, 2024.

Early Sunday morning, PUNCH Online had sought Mrs Adetuyibi’s reaction to a story by certain online mediums concerning a fire outbreak in UCH, which went viral on social media.

Reacting to the incident in a release issued and made available to our correspondent on Sunday, Adetuyibi said the incident was not a major one as was being presented in the news.

She said the incident was caused by a spark at the changeover box at the Medicine Laboratory on the 3rd floor of the hospital, adding that the incident did not in any way disrupt the hospital’s activities.

She said most of the pictures of the fire outbreak being spread around were “NOT pictures of the University College Hospital, Ibadan.”

The statement read: “The attention of the management of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, has been drawn to news making the rounds and viral videos on the fire incident that occurred in the hospital in the early hours of Sunday, 22nd September 2024.

“Let the fact be stated as follows that the fire incident occurred at about 8.10 am on Sunday, 22nd September 2024. The incident was caused by a spark at the changeover box at the Medicine Laboratory on the 3rd floor of the Hospital. The fire outbreak was limited to the changeover panel in one of the rooms in the laboratory.”

The statement added that “No major damage was recorded. The fire was put out immediately by the courageous staff of the hospital who were on the ground. The Fire Service officials also arrived on time and rendered excellent service to assuage the effects of the outbreak.

“The incident did not in any way disrupt the activities of the hospital. Most of the pictures of the fire outbreak being spread around are NOT pictures of the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

“The management of the hospital, under the leadership of the Chief Medical Director (CMD) Prof Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, has put in place all necessary measures to prevent such occurrence in the hospital.

“The general public is hereby assured of the safety of lives and property in the hospital. The CMD expresses deep appreciation for the support shown and given to the Hospital at all times.”