Patients and staff were evacuated from Malton and Norton District Hospital in North Yorkshire after a fire erupted on July 8, spreading through the Springwood ward. The fire began before midday and caused significant damage, with flames visible inside the building and thick, dark smoke billowing into the sky.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service crews worked through the night to control the blaze, which was situated near other hospital wards. At its peak, firefighters utilized three jet hoses and an aerial ladder to extinguish the flames. By the following morning, one fire engine remained on site as a precautionary measure.
The affected area was the Springwood Unit, which provides mental health services for elderly individuals. Aerial photographs taken prior to the fire show four rows of solar panels installed on the roof of the building.
During the incident, residents were advised to keep their doors and windows closed due to the large volume of smoke. The hospital was temporarily closed following the fire, and patients with appointments were instructed not to attend. Services have since resumed, and the hospital has reopened.
A spokesperson for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust expressed gratitude to the fire service, hospital staff, and the local community for their support. The trust is collaborating with the fire service to determine the cause of the fire and assess the full extent of the damage.
An investigation into the fire's cause was launched on July 9, but no definitive cause had been determined as of the latest reports. This incident follows a pattern of suspected solar panel fires, including a recent event on July 4 where a family's newbuild home caught fire, and another on a Bank Holiday Monday in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, where a property's roof was engulfed in flames.