'No harm to patients and staff' after fire near West Cumberland Hospital

Five fire engines were called to the scene in Whitehaven. Credit: Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service

A fire which broke out on the site of West Cumberland Hospital did not cause any harm to patients or staff, NHS leaders have said.

Five fire engines were dispatched to the site in Whitehaven just after 7:00pm on Saturday 4 February, where a three-storey portable cabin opposite the development site was on fire.

Fire crews used specialist equipment, including thermal imaging cameras, to put the fire out.

Fire crews used specialist equipment, including thermal imaging cameras, to put the fire out.

In a statement, North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said the quick response of their own teams meant that windows and doors were secured to minimise the amount of smoke in the main hospital building.

The hospital remained open throughout the incident and a spokesperson confirmed that "no patients were moved or evacuated."

The portable cabins that caught fire were "a safe distance from the main hospital building," and the fire service will now work to determine the cause of the fire.

Contractors are working with a structural engineer to safely remove the damaged cabins from the site.  

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