"Doctor puts out fire on roof": maternity hospital burns in Odesa after Russian attack

Dozens of adult patients and newborn babies, as well as the medical staff of the Odesa Maternity Hospital No. 5, which was hit by a Russian UAV on the night of 27-28 March, were saved thanks to a timely evacuation. A pair of twins on mechanical ventilation was also moved to a shelter.

Source: the facility's director Ihor Shpak to Ukrinform

Details: At the time of the attack, there were 32 patients, 22 babies and 27 medical workers in the maternity hospital. All of them managed to reach the shelter in time, so no one was injured.

Quote from Shpak: "Among the children were twins with low birth weight. The babies were on mechanical ventilation. Thanks to the fact that the shelter is equipped with a neonatal intensive care unit, we could continue ventilation in the shelter.

Post-operative patients were also in the shelter's intensive care ward."

Details: According to Shpak, at around 01:30 a hostile Shahed drone struck the roof of the hospital. The explosion damaged the roof and the ceiling between the second and third floors.

The attack also destroyed wards where post-operative patients usually stay with their newborn children. The strike caused the roof of the facility to catch fire. Before firefighters arrived, medical staff tried to put out the blaze themselves.

Quote from Shpak: "Doctors tackled the fire themselves, using fire hoses and extinguishers. One of the doctors was putting out a fire on the roof.

After the patients were evacuated, the fire reignited and was then extinguished by State Emergency Service personnel."

Details: The facility said that scheduled admissions have been temporarily suspended following the attack. In the meantime, maternity care will be provided at other hospitals, and the children have been transferred to a regional hospital.

"We hope for a swift and full resumption of operations," the medical facility added.

Background:

• On the night of 27-28 March, Russian forces carried out a large-scale attack on Odesa, launching more than 100 UAVs to strike the city. According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the attack caused extensive damage.
• In particular, a maternity hospital, residential areas, businesses, port facilities and critical infrastructure were significantly affected. At least two people were killed, and another 12, including a child, were injured.

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