Posted 12 July 2017 - 11:12
Posted 12 July 2017 - 11:12
News
Nurse-led walk-in centre 'closed indefinitely' following blaze
Nurses working at the Weybridge Community Hospital in Surrey will discuss redeployment plans after a blaze led to the hospital's closure
A nurse-led walk-in centre in Surrey has been closed indefinitely after a blaze spread through all three floors of the building and destroyed its roof.
Fire crews were called to Weybridge Community Hospital, which was closed at the time, just before midnight on Tuesday.
There were no injuries, but approximately 100 people living in neighbouring homes had to be evacuated.
An eyewitness told the BBC he saw the whole of the roof alight within 15 minutes and within 40 minutes, ‘the whole of the top floor was gone’.
Emergency services
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service sent eight fire engines, two aerial ladder platforms and three water carriers to the scene and the fire was brought under control by 7.42am.
CSH Surrey, the community healthcare provider who run the walk-in centre, said it would be closed indefinitely.
The service provides treatment for minor illnesses and injuries and X-ray facilities. It employs 20 nurses and five non-clinical staff members.
CSH Surrey said: ‘We are working with [staff] today to keep them updated on the situation, and will be discussing redeployment in the short and longer term to ensure we meet their and the service needs.’
Other alternatives
Patients should go to Ashford and Woking walk-in centres instead, the provider said.
They are asked to only attend in urgent circumstances.
Matt Leisegang, who was evacuated from his home about 100 metres from the firem, told the BBC: ‘The building is only three storeys, and the top floor was completely engulfed in flames in a short time – that was the remarkable thing, how quickly the fire spread.
‘In about 40 minutes of the fire starting, the whole of the top floor was gone. I could only see flames.’
He added: ‘We were asked by the emergency services to move back – there was a loud bang, an explosion from the gas canisters.’
Surrey Police said an investigation is underway to establish the cause of the fire.
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