Officials at Mulanje District Hospital are yet to assess the extent of the damage caused by fire which destroyed one of the hostels that accommodates medical trainees and newly recruited staff at the hospital two days ago.

The fire started at around 3pm on Monday and the fire which was so strong destroyed almost everything in the hostel.

Speaking after presenting the preliminary findings on the possible cause of the fire, Acting District Health Spokesperson Margret Mikwamba said the management suspects an electrical fault as the possible cause.

“Our preliminary findings reveal the fire was caused by an electrical fault but the investigations will continue to establish more about the electrical fault,” said Mrs. Mikwamba.

Mikwamba said the fire destroyed iron sheets, tables, laptops, beddings, radio sets, cloths, books and kitchen utensils.

She said most of the property burnt belonged to the hospital staff.

Mikwamba said the hostel, which has ten rooms with a capacity of 20 people, had only four (a nurse and three clinicians) housed there during the time of the accident.