Bristol Royal Infirmary: Services return after electrical fires and power cut cause mayhem at hospital

The power is back on and services have returned to a Bristol Hospital, after patients were evacuated during a ‘critical incident’.

Avon Fire and Rescue said crews has received reports of a burning smell shortly at the Bristol Royal Infirmary before 2pm, on Friday (3 May). They discovered two fires on the second floor, thought to have been caused by an electrical fault. Patients were reportedly evacuated, with at least 10 fire appliances and police on horseback seen outside the hospital - which has been suffering a power outage ever since.

In the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston’s latest update, just after 10am on Saturday morning, interim chief medical officer Dr Rebecca Maxwell said: “Power has now been fully restored to all of our hospitals, and we remain in internal critical incident as we carefully reset and restore our services.

“Our adult Emergency Department is now open to both ambulances and urgent walk-in patients. Our Children’s Emergency Department continues to be open to both ambulances and walk-in patients,” she continued.

“Patients with appointments should attend as planned unless we have contacted them directly, and we welcome visitors back to our hospitals.” The safety of the hospital’s patients and colleagues had been able to be maintained throughout the incident, she added, “thanks to the amazing efforts of our staff, emergency services and healthcare partners”.

Avon Fire and Rescue had stood down its major incident response at around 9pm on Friday evening. “All roads have now been reopened,” they added.