HIQA flags serious fire safety breaches at Falcarragh Community Hospital

HIQA has identified major fire‑safety shortcomings at Falcarragh Community Hospital following an unannounced inspection on 9 June.

The health regulator’s report said the hospital was non‑compliant with fire‑precaution regulations, citing the storage of flammable and combustible materials in high‑risk areas. Inspectors found garden machinery, cardboard and wood in a boiler room, a container of oil and grease, discarded waste and cardboard boxes in an ESB room, and items stored beneath an electrical panel in a storeroom.

Additional concerns included inadequate fire doors, missing fire seals, doors that did not close properly, gaps allowing smoke spread, and insufficient fire separation in an external building housing electrical, boiler and storage rooms. An enclosed courtyard lacked proper escape routes, and a magnetic‑locking door to the courtyard had no manual override, raising the risk of residents becoming trapped.

Fire detection was absent from an electrical cupboard and a kitchen cupboard. Although staff demonstrated knowledge of emergency procedures, inspectors could not confirm an effective evacuation could be carried out at night due to a lack of simulated drill records and evacuation plans that did not match the centre’s layout.

The report also highlighted shortcomings in short‑stay contracts for residents and reliance on agency staff, though it noted residents were generally satisfied with the care they received. The HSE has submitted a compliance plan to HIQA outlining steps already taken and further actions to achieve full compliance.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: Jan van der Wolf / Pexels.