All NI Trust fireplans reviewed

The Londonderry hospital was successfully evacuated in November three months after the Sentinel reported that an audit had found staff and patients faced a “very significant risk of death or injury” due to inadequate fire precautions at the hospital’s main Tower Block.

A report by the Health Estates Investment Group (HEIG) had also warned old electrical cables and non-compliance with fire codes were known to have been a problem for over a decade and that this had meant a higher risk of fire spreading in the hospital.

Although none of these factors were the cause of the fire in November the 2007 report did warn that some of the bed wards in the Ward Wing contained more than 30 patients and that if a fire broke out in the central core most patients would have to be evacuated via a staircase.

Following the successful evacuation of Altnagelvin, Mr Poots said all Trusts were being asked to take action.

Mr Poots stated: “As a result of the recent Fire at Altnagelvin and the successful implementation by the Trust of their major incident plan, I have asked all HSC bodies to review with immediate effect their fire evacuation plans for each facility to ensure that they incorporate any lessons learned from the Altnagelvin incident including the procedures to be followed during evacuation for the movement of seriously ill patients to other hospitals if needed.”