By ANDREA DOWNER, Staff ReporterMAXINE CAMERON WAS one of several pregnant women sent home yesterday after an electrical fire left an entire block of five floors at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital without electricity.
Cameron, 29, checked into the hospital at noon, approximately three and a half hours before the fire. She was told the go back home and return on Friday.
The obviously worried young woman said her baby was two weeks overdue as her delivery date was from April 23. As she sat on a curb wall with her pillow on her lap and her bags at her feet, she explained that this was her first pregnancy and she was not comfortable in going back home. She might go to another hospital as she does not feel it prudent to wait until Friday.
Another young mother sat beside her mother who cradled her six-day old grandchild. The child was delivered Thursday, but was being kept for observation.
The baby's mother said the infant had a high fever and was prescribed medication to try to reduce it.
David Dobson, Administrator for the hospital, said the mothers sent home were those who the hospital's doctors felt were not at risk. He said several others were relocated to other wards while five babies in incubators were transferred to the Bustamante Children's Hospital.
Dobson said at no time were the mothers or babies at risk, as the fire, which was contained to a transformer in the utility room, was extinguished before a fire truck from York Park Fire Station arrived.
Superintendent John Morais of the York Park Fire Department confirmed this. He said the fire was apparently caused by an electrical short circuit but investigations were still continuing.
Winsome Callum, Manager, Corporate Communications at Jamaica Public Service Company, said personnel from JPSCo just completed installation of a specialised meter when the fire broke out.
Neither JPSCo nor the hospital administration could say when power will be restored. The hospital is advising expectant mothers in labour to go to the Spanish Town or University Hospital until they are further advised.
