Investigation of Fires Occuring in Hospitals Between 2019-2023 in Türkiye: A Content Analysis

Abstract

Fires are one of the most important dangers for hospital buildings. The aim of the study is to examine the hospital fires occurred between 2019-2023 in Turkey. In the study, fires in public and private hospitals operating in Turkey between 2019 and 2023 were examined. In this cross-sectional study, news about fires in hospitals in Turkey were obtained from the archives of 7 national and 3 local news agencies using the search terms "fire" and "hospital" in Turkish. Quantitative content analysis was used to evaluate news texts. Out of a total of 76 hospital fires, 3 resulted in deaths caused by fire, leading to a total of 16 patient fatalities. Additionally, in all fires, a total of 99 individuals, including both patients and employees, required medical treatment due to the fire. In 19 of the fires, patients had to be evacuated due to exposure to either flames or smoke. The highest number of hospital fires occured in İstanbul. While the cause of 28 fires remains unknown, 27 fires were caused by electricity. Hospitals should prioritize fire prevention measures due to the potential losses and difficulties in evacuation. Regular checks of the hospital's electrical installations and devices should be carried out, as well as capacity assessments for new devices and expansions of the building. It is also recommended to keep emergency and disaster plans and teams updated for possible fire situations, increase employee knowledge, and conduct drills.