Hospital Disruption Continues After Fire

A occurrence astatine Southampton's main infirmary has led to much than 200 patients being evacuated from wards and operations cancelled.

A awesome incident was declared aft nan blaze collapsed retired successful nan endoscopy unit, successful nan westbound helping of Southampton General Hospital, astatine astir 05:30 GMT.

The infirmary said nan occurrence had been contained and no-one had been injured, adding that patients successful each affected areas were evacuated to safe areas elsewhere connected nan site.

In a connection conscionable aft 16:30, nan infirmary said nan effect was "significant" pinch a number of planned operations connected Monday being cancelled.

It said: "As portion of nan emergency response, our unit moved much than 200 patients to different areas of our infirmary wherever they are being cared for.

"Our attraction continues to beryllium safe diligent attraction and moving them to different wards and departments crossed our site."

The connection added: "The effect of nan occurrence has been important and will limit our expertise to fulfil each planned activity tomorrow [Monday]."

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said much than 110 firefighters attended nan blaze astatine its peak.

It said nan occurrence had been brought nether power by astir 10:00 pinch crews remaining connected nan segment to dampen down.

Patients were moved to safe areas, including wrong nan main entranceway of nan hospital.

Some could beryllium seen successful their beds successful nan hospital's main lobby, which is usually engaged pinch members of nan public.

Following nan fire, nan infirmary said its emergency section was diverting patients distant unless their information was life aliases limb-threatening.

Chief aesculapian serviceman Paul Grundy said: "Many of us, including myself, had a somewhat rude awakening first this greeting and were called into nan hospital, each hands connected deck, to woody pinch what is simply a awesome incident.

"We person each of nan objective teams - doctors, nurses, medics, each nan support services - connected site, looking aft that cohort of patients.

"Those that request a higher acuity support person been moved to nan parts of nan infirmary wherever we tin supply that."

He said galore patients were being nursed successful nan hospital's corridors "whilst we are looking for a much definitive solution".

The infirmary said it would beryllium contacting each patients affected by cancellations to make them aware, by telephone, email aliases matter connected Sunday.

Anyone pinch an outpatient assignment connected Monday should be arsenic planned, unless they perceive straight from nan hospital, it said.

Grundy earlier said nan business had been "hugely challenging".

He added: "We've had to move into a divert mode for patients coming into america from different hospitals.

"We're asking for support crossed nan system, truthful our partner hospitals successful this network, different emergency departments are helping us, but besides we'll beryllium needing thief from different hospitals further afield, master services in, for example, Oxford Bristol, Brighton, and truthful forth."

At 11:00, respective occurrence engines and an incident consequence portion were still coming extracurricular nan Coxford Road entrance, pinch nan smell of fume still hanging successful nan air.

Surrounding roads were closed while emergency services dealt pinch nan fire. Most closures were lifted soon aft 14:00, pinch only entree to nan hospital's westbound helping remaining blocked off.

The infirmary asked anyone requiring aesculapian attraction to usage different services successful nan community, including urgent curen centres astatine nan Royal South Hants Hospital successful Southampton aliases astatine Lymington New Forest Hospital.

Speaking earlier, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service group head Larry Mackrell crews were carrying retired fume clearance astatine nan building.

"We'll person an attendance present for nan foreseeable early but now we're looking to standard down our operations," he said.

"At this shape we don't person immoderate accusation arsenic to what caused nan occurrence aliases really what was involved."

He said nan occurrence appeared to person "stayed wrong nan room of ignition" but location had been "products of combustion smoke" recreation passim nan floor, truthful nan effect had been "significant".