A major incident has been declared at a hospital in a UK city after a fire erupted on Sunday morning. Fire crews were called to Southampton General Hospital at 5.30am. The blaze prompted the evacuation of patients from the hospital, as well as the closure of the roads surrounding the hospital.
The A&E department, Southampton General Hospital said, was also diverting patients away, unless their condition was deemend “life or limb threatening”. All planned outpatient appointments for Sunday have been cancelled. At the blaze’s peak, more than 110 firefighters were in attendence, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) said.
The fire was taken under control at around 10am, but crews are still on scene to “dampen down”.
No injuries have been reported and the cause of the blaze is currently unknown.
Locals who require medical attention have been asked to use other services, including urgent treatment centres at the Royal South Hants Hospital in Southampton, or at Lymington New Forest Hospital.
The hospital trust said in a statement: “Nobody has been injured as a result of the fire and patients in all affected areas have been evacuated to safe areas of the hospital.
“Our Emergency Department is currently diverting patients away unless your condition is deemed life or limb threatening.
“We are asking anyone requiring medical attention to use other services in the community including the Urgent Treatment Centre at RSH or Lymington.”
