A/C unit explodes at children's hospital

Patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Bustamante Hospital for Children had to be rushed to another area of the medical facility last night, after an air conditioning unit spontaneously burst into flames.

The incident occurred minutes after 8 p.m.

"Fortunately there was swift action on the ground, with the nurses, ancillary staff, and in particularly one parent who was visiting and another one who heard the cry for assistance happened to be a policemen. They broke the windows, and got the four patients out to safety," chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr Winston De La Haye told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"Unfortunately one nurse and a porter suffered some inhalation injuries. They have been treated and are recovering," he added.

The children who were admitted to the ICU at the time ranged from ages two days old to three years old.

They will be transferred to the University Hospital of the West Indies for continued treatment today.

De La Haye added that the ICU at the facility will be out of operation until the area is repaired. He could not provide an estimate of when that would be.

Investigations into the incident are now under way.