More than 200 patients evacuated after huge blaze in Wexford General Hospital
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Health officials are scrambling to find beds for more than 200 patients after a major blaze caused extensive damage to Wexford General Hospital.
The National Ambulance Service is treating patients at the scene and transporting them to hospitals across the region after fire forced the closure of the entire hospital and mass evacuation. Gardaí declared the incident a “major emergency”.
In a statement tonight, the hospital said the transfer of patients is expected to take up to 24 hours.
The hospital said all elective and outpatient appointments in the hospital have been cancelled for Thursday and Friday of this week.
The hospital said it will not be in direct contact with these patients, regarding their cancellations, as the technology needed is not operational.
The emergency department in WGH is closed until further notice. The public has been asked not to come to the hospital and to stay away from the area.
"Anyone requiring Emergency Care in the Wexford region should attend their closest alternative Accident and Emergency service."
A helpline has also been set up for patients or families who have any concerns. They can contact 053-9153012.
Scores of ambulances are being used to bring up to 207 patients to hospitals including St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny and University Hospital Waterford, as well facilities in Cork and Dublin.
Firefighters were called to the hospital at approximately 4pm as a blaze appeared to take hold in the old part of the hospital to the rear of the building.
Eleven units from Wexford Fire Services attended the scene and firefighters loaded with breathing apparatus entered the building in a bid to quench the blaze. Four ambulances were also summoned from Waterford to assist.
The fire service used a cherry picker in a bid to dampen the blaze from overhead. Loud bangs and thunder-like explosions were audible from the hospital grounds with huge flames eventually bursting through a section of the roof.
As the blaze began to spread, patients were removed to daycare wards and other wards in the hospital.
A statement from the Ireland East Hospital Group said: “No injuries or accidents to patients or staff have been reported.”
However, management took the decision to close the entire hospital due to extensive smoke and water damage, triggering a mass evacuation.
Wexford General Hospital is coordinating with the relevant authorities to find the location and cause of the fire while assessing the full extent of the damage.
Wexford Fire Service will maintain a presence at the hospital overnight as a precaution.
Early indications from staff at the scene were that the fire may have started in the hospital's plant room or boiler room with the blaze spreading to the building.
Wexford County Council called for people to avoid the area and told those in close proximity to the hospital to "close windows and doors and turn off all air ventilation".
Minister of State and Wexford TD, James Browne referred to the blaze while speaking in the Dáil saying that his "thoughts are with everybody there".
Local Independent councillor Ger Carthy earlier told the the the fire "broke out on the fourth floor, and there are currently wards being moved to different areas in the hospital as part of the major emergency plan".
Commenting on today’s fire at Wexford General Hospital, an INMO spokesperson said:
“Firstly, we want to thank the fire personnel who are working to bring the incident under control.
“Our thoughts are with patients, staff, the wider hospital community, and staff in other hospitals this evening as patients continue to be evacuated to other hospitals.
“INMO officials are in contact with our members in Wexford and receiving hospitals to offer support to those who have and will be impacted by this extremely serious incident.”