Ramathibodi Hospital closes main building for 2 days after fire incident

Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital issued Statement No. 1 regarding the fire incident on March 11, 2025, which occurred at approximately 7.20pm in the hospital’s main building (Building 1).

" Emergency responders were immediately notified, and hospital staff swiftly evacuated patients and visitors from the affected area to ensure their safety. The fire was brought under control by firefighters, and as of now, there have been no reported injuries among the hospital’s patients," the statement revealed.

Temporary Suspension of Services

As an initial precaution, the hospital will suspend all services in Building 1 for 48 hours, including outpatient care and surgeries, to assess the safety of the building. Additionally, the Emergency Room will not accept new patients during this time.

Alternative Services Available

For medical records, blood donations, and blood tests, services will continue at the Somdech Phra Debaratana Building, which remains operational. Further updates on the situation will be provided as necessary. For urgent inquiries, the public can contact the Call Centre at 0-2201-1000 or 0-2200-3000.

Incident Details 

The fire originated on the 2nd floor in the pathology room of the 9-story building, causing smoke to spread throughout. The affected floors include 1-4, which house laboratories, and 5-9, which serve as patient wards for both pediatric and adult care, making the evacuation a challenging operation.

Incident Timeline

7.20pm – The Rama 199 Radio Centre received the report of a fire at Ramathibodi Hospital, located on Rama VI Road, and alerted the Phayathai Fire and Rescue Station.

7.22pm – Firefighters arrived and began assessing the situation at the main building.

7.26pm – The fire was confirmed on the 2nd floor, and evacuation efforts were underway.

7.27pm – Firefighters successfully extinguished the flames, but smoke remained, requiring ventilation.

7.44pm – Reports confirmed that hospital staff were trapped in an operating room on the 3rd floor, prompting a rescue operation.

7.52pm – Patients and staff from the 5th floor were evacuated safely, with checks continuing on floors 6-9.

8.00pm – The evacuation of patients and medical personnel continued.

8.20pm – Newborns from the 6th floor were evacuated safely.

8.40pm – The 7th floor was inspected and deemed safe, with no impact on staff or patients.

8.55pm – Response teams reached the fire’s point of origin for damage assessment.

500 Patients Affected, Investigation Underway

Prof Dr Arthit Angkanon, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital, confirmed that approximately 500 patients were affected by the fire. The smoke spread quickly across multiple areas of the hospital, prompting the urgent evacuation of these patients to safer areas within the hospital’s northern wing.

The evacuation included critical patients, including those in the ICU and general inpatients, who were safely relocated with assistance from neighboring hospitals, such as Phramongkutklao Hospital and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Fire Contained, Cause Under Investigation

Firefighters successfully contained the fire. Due to the critical medical units located in Building 1, including the blood bank, radiology department, maternity ward, and two operating rooms, hospital operations in this building will be temporarily suspended starting March 12.

Forensic investigators and structural engineers will inspect the cause of the fire on March 13 to ensure the building’s safety. Preliminary reports suggest the fire originated at a staff counter.

Further updates will be provided as investigations progress.