Paarl Hospital fire: 35-year-old man charged with arson

Police have arrested and charged a 35-year-old man with arson following the fire at Paarl Hospital on Tuesday, January 27.

Police spokesperson, Constable Ndakhe Gwala, confirmed the arrest and that he would be making an appearance in court on Thursday, January 29.

“Paarl detectives are investigating a case of arson following an incident that occurred at a hospital in Paarl at around 11:00 on Tuesday, January 27, where a fire broke out,” she said.

“A 35-year-old male suspect was apprehended for questioning and later detained. He will appear in the Paarl Magistrate’s court on Thursday, January 29.  No injuries were reported; all passengers safely evacuated the building. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.”

Councillor Stephen Korabie, Executive Mayor of Drakenstein Municipality, and Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, confirmed the cause behind the blaze was an electric car that was parked adjacent to the building and that patients had to be evacuated, with several undergoing operations or who were in active labour being transferred to nearby facilities.

"The cause of the fire is an electric car that is standing on the premises,” said the Mayor.

Drakenstein Municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services said it responded to a fire at the Paarl Hospital, which was reported at 11:17 am on Tuesday, January 27.

By 12:00 pm, firefighters had successfully contained the blaze to the Day Hospital section of the provincial hospital.

The municipality added that all occupants of the ground, first, and second floors of the hospital were safely evacuated.

The Outpatient Department sustained extensive damage while the maternity patients were relocated to other facilities to ensure continuity of care.

Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, said, “Our immediate priority was the safety of patients, staff, and visitors, and I want to commend the hospital teams and emergency services for acting swiftly and professionally under pressure. Thanks to their coordinated response, patients were safely relocated and no injuries were reported. We are now focused on restoring services as quickly and safely as possible while ensuring continuity of care for all affected patients."

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