AMCARE left in the dark
A power surge blew out the entire AMCARE facility, the church, Ascot Mews and Shamani Guest House on April 11, causing havoc and risking people’s lives.
ALBERTON – AMCARE employees noticed smoke coming out of the electronic equipment, including brand new fridges, stoves, computers, television sets and light sockets.
“One of the computers caught alight, completely going up into a flame. Nobody knew what was going on, I just heard screaming coming from all directions,” said Percy Howard.
AMCARE was left without any landline phones, lights and most importantly, oxygen for their frail care patients at Hospice. The one department borrowed Hospice their generator for minimum emergency electricity.
Tersia Burger, Steering Committee Chairperson said, “We did contact the electrical department and was told that it would take up to three days to be fixed.”
Although the first thought was that they had lost all their new equipment, most of it being brand new items, Percy told the RECORD that they were calling in professionals who might be able to fix some of the equipment.
An employee from AMCARE’s service provider said that Council should be held accountable for the damages; as a power surge and smoke coming from the equipment is as a result of two wires touching.
“I have never seen anything like what happened today in my entire life, one fridge was shaking from the power surge affecting it,” said Percy.
This happened at around 09:00, and after Stephen Nowatha (CCA Manager) had found out about what had happened, the power came back on at about 20:00.
