It was simply a coincidence a contract to replace Canberra Hospital's ageing switchboard - months earlier flagged as an "extreme" risk - was signed just days after a fire that caused chaos for patients and staff, ACT health says.
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Canberra Hospital's switchboard caught fire during maintenance works earlier this year with 60 patients evacuated and scores of elective surgeries cancelled
Power outages meant the day after the fire the emergency department only dealt with major trauma cases with patients directed to Calvary Hospital.
At an annual report hearing, ACT Liberal Elizabeth Kikkert asked executive director of health infrastructure services Colm Mooney why the contract for a new switchboard was signed days after the fire.
Tne government knew at the time the ageing asset was an "extreme risk".
Mr Mooney said he could "categorically say" the timing was just a coincidence.
He said at the time of the fire they were working through final negotiations with the tenderer and were in the process of signing off on them.
"I [had] just agreed with the deputy director general who the preferred tenderer would be and that we would be formalising that week," Mr Mooney said.
"I can categorically say it was just a coincidence, we had come to the end of the negotiations process or should I say procurement process."
"Irish luck hey?" Ms Kikkert said.
Mr Mooney responded: "I wouldn't say that, but I do remember the night very distinctly and the conversation I had with the particular person to say everything was fine, and then about a half an hour later I got a phonecall, so purely a coincidence."
Mr Mooney told the hearing works to replace the switchboard were running on time and on budget.
ACT Health first called for expressions of interest for the design and replacement of the switchboard in March 2016, but a contract for the replacement was not awarded until two days after the fire.
The almost $9.6 million contract was awarded to Shaw Building Group on April 7.
The switchboard was publicly linked to problems from at least September 2015 when it overheated causing potential disruption to significant parts of the hospital.
A risk assessment of hospital infrastructure by AECOM in June 2016 categorised the switchboard as an "extreme risk".
The audit found 143 "high risks" in the health directorate's infrastructure, including four extreme risks.
