In what has now been declared a major emergency, some 207 patients have been evacuated and the entire hospital closed down after a huge blaze engulfed a section of Wexford General Hospital this afternoon.
Hospital management have now taken the decision to close the hospital following extensive smoke and water damage with a major operation now in place to have the patients transferred to hospitals throughout the region and Dublin.
Following the quick removal of patients staff reported that there were no casualties, though significant damage has been caused to the building.
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Firefighters were called to the hospital at approximately 4pm as a fire appeared to take hold in the old part of the hospital to the rear of the building and sent huge plumes of smoke out over Wexford town.
As the blaze began to spread to the roof of the building, patients were removed to day care wards and other wards in the hospital with staff reporting that there were no casualties during the operation.
Although flames were not initially visible, loud bangs and thunder-like explosions were audible from the hospital grounds with huge flames eventually bursting through a section of the roof.
Early indications from staff at the scene were that the fire may have started in the hospital's plant room or boiler room with the blaze spreading to the building.
11 units from Wexford Fire Services attended the scene of the fire and fire fighters loaded with breathing apparatus entered the building in a bid to quench the blaze.
Four ambulances were also summoned from Waterford to assist the local ambulance crews and remained on standby during the course of the blaze.
The fire service also used a cherry picker in a bid to dampen the blaze from overhead.
As the smoke plumed over the area people living close to the hospital were advised to close their windows and doors and turn off all air ventilators as smoke continued to billow from the roof of the building.
Gardai and emergency services attended the scene. Gardai advised all people to stay away from the area until the blaze was brought under control.
Minister of State and Wexford TD., James Browne mentioned the blaze while speaking in the Dail saying that his "thoughts are with everybody there".
A spokesperson for Ireland East Hospital Group said: "Wexford General Hospital can confirm there was a fire in the hospital today."
Wexford General Hospital also advised people not to attend the hospital as all patients were safe.
The fire services were happy that the fire had been brought under control after several hours fighting the blaze despite their access to the area of the blaze being hampered.
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