A patient has died after an ambulance exploded outside an A&E department, sparking a partial evacuation of the hospital.
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Sources at the hospital have said that a male patient in the ambulance was killed and two ambulance crew were injured in what was described as “an explosion in the back of the ambulance”.
Gardaí in Naas said they and the HSE are investigating all the circumstances surrounding today’s fire.
The HSE said in a statement: “The hospital has advised any member of the public seeking access to medical care to visit their GP in the first instance and if necessary to access another Emergency Department in an alternative hospital”.
A PATIENT has died and two paramedics injured after an ambulance exploded outside a hospital in Ireland.
A technical examination is now underway and the HSE has released a statement in relation to the incident.
The HSE say the department has been temporarily closed following the “serious incident”. The hospital is also asking visitors not to come to Naas hospital.
Gardai and the Hea lth and Safety Authority were alerted to the incident and investigations have been launched.
TheJournal.ie understands that the ambulance caught fire while bringing a patient to the A&E.
Naas General Hospital covers County Kildare and West Wicklow.
It isn’t clear whether the ambulance was empty at the time or not.
Shocking photos taken during the incident show the ambulance engulfed in flames, with clouds of thick smoke billowing over the area.
The incident happened near the A and E department.
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While the cause of the fire is not known early suspicions point at an oxygen cylinder or other flammable gas in the back of the emergency vehicle.
