Pictures show devastation of University Hospital Southampton fire as NHS staff's "heroic efforts" praised

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue were called to the west wing of Southampton General Hospital at around 5.30am on February 1 following reports of a blaze. Around 200 patients were evacuated as the fire was contained with no injuries related to the fire reported.

While some patients have returned to the areas of the west wing, pictures and video supplied by UHS show that the blaze caused extensive damage to some rooms on E level.

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The hospital remains in a major incident with the emergency department closed to patients other than those whose injuries are life or limb threatening. A UHS spokesperson has praised the bravery of staff in “extremely challenging” circumstances.

The spokesperson said: “UHS has a robust emergency plan which is enacted when any incident is declared. The Trust’s incident management team have been working together to coordinate the response to this fire since the alarm was raised at 5.30am on Sunday.

“We would like to take this opportunity to recognise the heroic efforts of our staff in the immediate aftermath of yesterday’s fire, in particular those who swiftly moved patients to safety when the fire broke out.

“The situation has been extremely challenging and we are continuing to work with partners as we continue to prioritise safe patient care.”

While visiting has returned to normal today, the hospital has confirmed that a “significant amount” of planned elective surgery and some outpatient appointments have been cancelled. Patients whose appointments have been cancelled have been contacted directly and the UHS advises if you have not been contacted then you should attend as planned.

The latest update on the incident can be found here.