A fire at the North West London Hospitals NHS Trust’s Northwick Park Hospital on 11 February, believed to have started in a basement electrical plant room, saw around 170 patients evacuated. The evacuees were placed elsewhere in the hospital, at local primary care facilities, and at the Northwick Park’s sister hospital, Central Middlesex, in Park Royal.
The London Fire Brigade sent eight fire engines and around 40 firelighters to deal with the blaze after an alarm system detected smoke. The LFB said the fire had damaged the basement, with smoke spreading to the floors above. The Brigade was called at 2.22 pm, and the fire was reportedly under control by 6.03 pm. A joint LFB and Trust investigation into the precise cause continues. Trust CEO Fiona Wise 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.” Subsequent Trust statements revealed that the fire had damaged the hospital’s main ward block and some power and water supplies. Six wards initially had to be closed, but a week later only three, incorporating elderly patient facilities, and a theatre admissions unit, remained out of use. The Trust said “around 25%” of the hospital site, which also accommodates the St Mark’s Hospital gastro-intestinal unit, continued to be powered by generators.
