Fire hits Davao mental facility; patient escapes

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – At least 197 patients of the Davao Mental Hospital here were evacuated when a fire struck its old main building yesterday morning.

Dr. Leopoldo Vega, the mental facility’s chief, said the main building was built in 1918 and “there were already problems with its electrical setup.”

The building housed the hospital’s reception area, outpatient department, female ward, and crisis intervention room.

Vega, who also heads the Southern Philippine Medical Center, said all patients were accounted for, except for one male patient who managed to escape at the height of the fire.