Weybridge hospital fire

Avenged7Fold · 12 Jul 2017 at 09:31

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-40578016

Last night, the community hospital and walk-in centre burnt down.

Matt Leisegang, 28, who was evacuated from his home about 100m from the fire, said: "It was about 11.45pm when my wife woke me up and said there was a fire at the hospital.

"We heard people shouting outside and went to look through the window. We saw what was happening and ran down to see if we could help.

"That's when I saw the left side of the roof was in flames already. Within about 15 minutes, the whole of the roof was alight.

"The building is only three storeys, and the top floor was completely engulfed in flames within a short time - that was the remarkable thing, how quickly the fire spread.

"Within about 40 minutes of the fire, the whole of the top floor was gone. I could only see flames."

Luckily no one is believed to have been hurt as it is a day-time health centre.

We have had a particularly dry couple of weeks, with some real scorching temperatures. I can understand how this may have created an environment where materials (building or just stored nearby) are dryer and more prone to catching fire. With Grenfell towers so fresh in peoples mind, i think the media is reporting on building fires more.

I am wondering what could have caused the fire, as there shouldn't have been anyone in it since 8:30-ish.

Hades · 12 Jul 2017 at 10:22

Nuts. I've used tbat several times. It's really handy.

Avenged7Fold · 12 Jul 2017 at 10:31

Yeah, very handy. I work and live not far from it. A shame as these sort of walk in clinics greatly alleviate pressure on A&E at St. Peters Hospital (local hospital). These centres are for urgent but not serious or life threatening conditions and having been to A&E a few times recently, i dread to think what it will be like if I or any of my loved ones require urgent medical attention, with all the patients that would have gone to the walk-in clinic being redirected to the Hospital.

LeeUK · 12 Jul 2017 at 10:33

I know it's bad but I can't help feeling that ever since Grenfell Tower, every single fire seems to be getting reported in the national news. I couple of months ago there was a huge fire not far away and it never got reported on apart from a piece in the local paper.

francky · 12 Jul 2017 at 10:37

Yeah drove past that this morning (I work in Brooklands park near Merc world in Weybridge) and came through Weybridge town center way this morning....all closed off and so much smoke, was surprised to see it started at 11pm last night with the amount of smoke still bellowing out from it.

Jamesyboyjim · 12 Jul 2017 at 10:40

Looked really bad, caused my missus a bit of trouble this morning as she works nearby. All I can say is I really hope it wasn't arson.

Avenged7Fold · 12 Jul 2017 at 10:45

The fire looked incredibly ferocious. Explosion was reported around 11:10, though that could be due to gas canisters that are kept on site.

The speed at which the building burned as well as the time it burned down seems suspicious to my non expert eyes.

krooton · 12 Jul 2017 at 10:58

francky said:
Yeah drove past that this morning (I work in Brooklands park near Merc world in Weybridge) and came through Weybridge town center way this morning....all closed off and so much smoke, was surprised to see it started at 11pm last night with the amount of smoke still bellowing out from it.

Lol, I work here too. Very smokey when I got off the train this morning, thought someone had set up a food truck in the car park initially.

Efour · 12 Jul 2017 at 11:33

Inb4 Tory cladding Blaire warcriminal Thatcher.

Hades · 12 Jul 2017 at 11:39

I blame brexit and austerity.

amidoingitrite?

Avenged7Fold · 12 Jul 2017 at 11:46

I was implying the possibility of arson or negligence more than cheap building materials.

robgmun · 12 Jul 2017 at 11:56

Hades said:
I blame brexit and austerity.

amidoingitrite?

Corbyn thinks so :rolleyes:

thewanted · 12 Jul 2017 at 12:04

This sucks. My GP is (was?) on the first floor

Haggisman · 12 Jul 2017 at 13:39

Avenged7Fold said:
The fire looked incredibly ferocious. Explosion was reported around 11:10, though that could be due to gas canisters that are kept on site.

The speed at which the building burned as well as the time it burned down seems suspicious to my non expert eyes.

I would assume being a medical centre that there are a good number of oxygen canisters kept on site, along with various other highly flammable materials such as alcohol based antiseptics etc.

dowie · 12 Jul 2017 at 14:04

Efour said:
Inb4 Tory cladding Blaire warcriminal Thatcher.

^^^ this, clearly need to blame 'the Tories' and 'austerity'

am waiting for the construction experts to finish googling and give their technical opinions too

Energize · 13 Jul 2017 at 07:34

Does anyone have the blueprints so we can check the cladding?

Diddums · 13 Jul 2017 at 07:37

Avenged7Fold said:
The fire looked incredibly ferocious