The mental health unit at Burnie’s North West Regional Hospital has been left extensively damaged and will stay closed for some time after a fire tore through the building on Saturday night.
Tasmania Fire Service regional fire investigator Tim McKay said the damage was confined largely to one end of the Spencer Clinic, but smoke had spread through the rest of the building.
“Making it, for now at least, uninhabitable,” he said.
A 28-year-old north-west woman has since been charged with arson over the incident, after being taken into custody last night.
Crews were alerted about 6:20pm by a direct brigade alarm and arrived within moments.
“On arrival, they were met with quite a complex firefighting operation given the nature of the facility that it is,” McKay said.
Up to 10 crews were involved at the height of the response and it took many hours to contain the blaze.
McKay said there was no explosion, and a smashed window at the scene had been impacted by fire.
Police have since charged a 28-year-old north-west woman with one count of arson.
She was arrested on Saturday night and was expected to appear in the Devonport Magistrates Court on Sunday evening.
Department of Health secretary Dale Webster said the 19-bed unit was full when the fire broke out.
Two high acuity patients were taken to the Launceston General Hospital and five were moved to the North West Private Hospital.
The rest were accommodated within the North West Regional Hospital.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said no one was injured thanks to the quick work of those on the ground.
“Assessments of the site will continue over the coming days to determine the way forward,” he said.
Health Minister Bridget Archer said an emergency management team had been activated to boost mental health capacity across the state.
“We are actively considering all options to make additional mental health beds and supports available, including partnering with private providers,” she said.
Webster said patients may need to be treated in Launceston or further afield in the coming days.
He said his team was looking at whether the new mental health precinct, now due to be finished in 2028, could be fast-tracked.
Anyone in crisis should call triple zero or attend the hospital emergency department.
