"The patient was admitted to the hospital in December with 50 percent burn wounds, allegedly suffered when his shack caught fire"

Police and the Gauteng health department were investigating after a patient allegedly started a fire in his room and died at Natalspruit Hospital in Katlehong, the health department said on Friday.

Provincial MEC for health, Hope Papo said the man died from severe burn wounds after he allegedly set alight his linen and mattress in an apparent suicide attempt on Thursday.

"The patient was admitted to the hospital in December with 50 percent burn wounds, allegedly suffered when his shack caught fire," said Papo.

"He was kept in an isolation ward to minimise chances of infection to his wounds."

Hospital staff doused the fire in the isolated room and no other patients were affected.

"This is a tragic incident that must be investigated in detail to provide us with full information about how it happened, and whether it could have been prevented," said Papo.