Ceiling collapse explained

THE ceiling collapse at the San Fernando General Hospital’s burns unit was caused by “corroded reinforcements due to continued exposure over the years.”

In a media release yesterday, the South-West Regional Health Authority said the ceiling, which collapsed on Saturday morning, had been assessed by its Property Services Department and further testing would take place to “determine the thickness of the ceiling’s concrete topping and the compressive strength of the floor cores.

“A ferrous scan will also be undertaken to determine the floor’s reinforcement depth, size and spacing. These tests will guide the design for the corrective repair work,” the SWRHA said.

The affected areas in the burns unit and the above floor area had been cordoned off and patients temporarily relocated to Level 2 of the hospital. The tests should be completed in two weeks.