Saturday morning, a devastating fire broke out at the San Giovanni Evangelista Hospital in Tivoli, near Rome, causing the tragic death of three patients. The flames, originally generated by piles of waste in the area behind, caused serious damage to the fundamental spaces of the hospital. The investigations conducted by the prosecutor Francesco Menditto are focused on the reconstruction of the causes, with the initial hypothesis considering the possibility of a short circuit in the electrical cables or the accident of a cigarette butt.

Tivoli Hospital fire: the first phases

The early stages of the fire affected clinics, emergency rooms and paediatrics, causing smoke to spread throughout the facility. The tragedy claimed the loss of three patients due to intoxication. The current investigation focuses on the evaluation of the procedures adopted by medical and nursing staff. The testimonies indicate possible critical issues in the operation of the fire prevention system, evidenced by fire doors that did not close automatically and a smoke alarm that was not activated in all areas of the hospital.

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The lack of an external fire watch team, as expected, raises questions about the hospital's preparedness. The buildings, built in the seventies and subsequently modernized without significant interventions, have been subject of criticism by Agenas, the national agency for regional health services. L'evacuation of 193 patients it was a complex operation, highlighting deficiencies in emergency procedures.

The investigations

La prosecutor of Tivoli is currently focusing attention on the fire prevention system and its alleged malfunction. Conflicting testimonies on its activation raise doubts about its safety conditions. Attention is now focused on examining autopsies, which could provide crucial answers about the relationship between the power outage and the patients' deaths. Lack of emergency lighting and challenges in evacuation emerge as critical aspects of the tragedy.

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The situation pushed the governor Francesco Rocca to announce an investment of hundreds of millions to improve fire prevention systems in similar facilities. While awaiting the results of the investigations, the focus remains on the causes of the fire and any negligence security. In the meantime, the local community is taking action by installing a tensile support structure near the hospital to ensure continuity in medical care.

Tivoli hospital fire: what we know last edit: 2023-12-11T12:45:38+01:00 da Cristina Gatto

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