Quick action by staff at the Georgetown Public Hospital last evening averted what could have been a major fire after a patient of unsound mind set his mattress ablaze in the male observation ward of the institution.
After the incident the patient was restrained and authorities recovered a box of matches. Stabroek News was told that it was the second attempt in recent times by mentally ill patients to start a fire in the building.
According to reports reaching this newspaper at around 6:45 pm staff saw thick smoke coming from the ward which houses around ten other patients. On checking they realized that a patient had set his mattress ablaze. The hospital staff then formed a bucket brigade and quickly put out the fire. A security officer at the institution told Stabroek News last evening that staffers at the ward were on high alert following the incident.
