Opposition health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne wrote to Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker last week urging she undertake a "coroner-initiated investigation" into the fire, which saw 60 people evacuated from the hospital earlier this month.

But under the territory's Coroner's Act, a Coroner is only forced to conduct an inquiry into a fire if ordered to by the Attorney-General; otherwise, it is up to the discretion of the Court as to whether an inquiry is deemed necessary.

The Canberra Times has previously reported how essential works to replace the ageing switchboard were delayed years, despite serious warning signs and an infrastructure audit that dubbed the problem an "extreme and a high risk" last year.

Works to repair parts of the switchboard that were damaged have been completed, and other works 'expedited' as a result, while a $9.8 million contract to replace it was awarded two days after the incident.

An ACT Health spokeswoman said the contract was awarded after the fire as part of "normal practice", after a "revised offer" was received from the successful tenderer, Shaw Building Group.

But the directorate has not explained why the works were not awarded earlier, given an "expression of interest" for tenders for the work was issued in March 2016, an offer was made as early as September last year, and funding allocated in the health budget as early as 2014-15.

Ms Dunne said the signing of the contract only days after the fire had "confirmed what we had all suspected, successive health ministers have knowingly ignored even basic hospital maintenance".

"This discovery confirms the importance of my decision to ask the ACT Coroner to investigate the fire because clearly the government has many uncomfortable questions to answer," she said.

A spokesman for Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris that it was a matter for the Coroner to decide if an investigation was warranted.

But he said ACT Health was already investigating the fire to "provide detail into the cause of the electrical switch incident and a clear path forward to mitigate similar incidents occurring in the future".

"The Coroner's primary roles are to investigate deaths and fires and the minister will cooperate with any decision the Coroner makes," he said.

"The minister is focussed on ensuring a prompt investigation and a forward path for continuing work on the electrical system."