Tonight:
4°c
Hospital cancels operations after blaze in power plant
Neil Millard12 Feb 2009
Operations were cancelled at a hospital in north-west London today after a fire broke out in its basement.
More than 250 staff and patients - many wearing only a dressing gown - were evacuated from Northwick Park Hospital into the cold night air for more than two hours last night.
The A&E department and maternity unit were forced to close for hours. Outpatient appointments have also been cancelled today at neighbouring St Mark's Hospital, which like Northwick Park is part of the North-West London Hospitals NHS Trust.
Around 40 firemen fought the blaze in Watford Road, Harrow, which started yesterday in the hospital's power plant in its main building.
Staff were forced to start evacuation procedures for three wards as smoke filtered through to the eighth, ninth and 10th floors. A low-voltage transformer was eventually found damaged by fire and smoke.
In total, patients from six wards were moved despite only one ward being at immediate risk. Trust chief executive Fiona Wise praised all who were involved in the emergency procedures and said: "Our staff, the fire brigade and other emergency services acted very quickly and have been tremendous.
"All our patients are safe and there have been no injuries as a result of the fire. Patients and their relatives have also been very understanding and my thanks go out to them."
A fire brigade spokesman said: "We had reports that the basement was well alight and a significant part of the hospital had to be evacuated. The fire started in an electrical intake room but we do not yet know how much damage it has caused."
Northwick Park received strong criticism from a coroner last year for "ongoing failures" and "neglect" - 13 women died after giving birth there in recent years.
The inquest of maternity patient Ana Maria Denzo, 30, also heard that the hospital was "mainly a building site" when she died from severe bleeding. She was also a nurse at the hospital and her death prompted a Healthcare Commission investigation.
