At around 1300 today (as I arrived at work) smoke was bellowing from the roof of the Marsden and emergency services were hurrying to evacuate the area and block roads off.
Just an hour later tall flames could be seen from the roof and parts were falling in.
Next door at the Brompton we assembled a team together co-ordinated by the Intensive Care Unit and sent over equipment, doctors, nurses and technical staff to help salvage patients and admit them next door to The Brompton.
Our priority was to get the Intensive care patients out, some of whom were still intubated. We soon learned that there were also 2 patients still in theatre and several in recovery in the basement who we evacuated to The Brompton’s ICU and recovery units.
The stable and ambulant patients were sent to a nearby church and Fulham Road outpatients unit, with doctors on hand to check them over.
The whole move was a slick operation overseen efficiently by the intensivists from both hospitals and to our knowledge there were no acute injuries from the fire.
Links
BBC NEWS | England | London | Fire forces hospital’s evacuation
£500m Royal Marsden blaze cripples services
Obviously The Marsden is one of the world’s leading cancer hospitals, with a large melanoma practice. After a full assessment, one hopes that it will be rebuilt and services will resume.
For now, we believe that patient services will be relocated to the nearby Sutton branch of the hospital in Surrey.