Fire at Southampton hospital prompts major incident
Patients evacuated and outpatient appointments cancelled
Last updated 4 hours ago
A fire at Southampton General Hospital early this morning has led to the declaration of a major incident, with patients evacuated from affected areas.
Hampshire firefighters responded to the blaze just after 5.30am and have since contained it. No injuries have been reported.
Emergency services have also closed nearby roads and urged visitors to stay away from the hospital.
All outpatient appointments scheduled for today have been cancelled, and the emergency department is diverting patients unless they have life or limb-threatening conditions.
Hospital staff are being offered parking onsite, and anyone needing non-emergency care has been advised to use alternative local services like urgent treatment centres nearby.
Regular updates on the situation will be shared online, the hospital says, as it works through the disruption caused by the fire.
A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said:
"Crews from across Hampshire were called to reports of a fire at University Hospital Southampton at 5:30am this morning (1 February).
"At its peak, more than 110 firefighters were mobilised to the incident. Breathing apparatus, hose reel jets and an Aerial Ladder Platform are in use. The fire is now under control; crews remain on scene to dampen down. Nobody has been injured as a result of the fire and patients in all affected areas have been evacuated to safe areas of the hospital."
Update - 1.37pm, Sunday 1st February 2026
A spokesperson for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said:
"We evacuated approximately 200 patients from the affected area of the hospital who are currently being cared for in others areas, including in corridors.
"No patients or staff were injured in the fire.
"We understand news of the fire and subsequent evacuation will cause anxiety for relatives keen to find out how their loved ones are and where they are now situated within the hospital.
"We are working hard to utilise all available space and move patients into other wards and departments where possible.
"Our telephone lines are exceptionally busy and would ask people to bear with us and refrain from calling unless urgent.
"Our Emergency Department is still receiving patients from the immediate vicinity whose condition is deemed life or limb threatening but asking anyone needing urgent treatment to go elsewhere and utilise the Urgent Treatment Centres at the Royal South Hants hospital in Southampton and Lymington, visit local pharmacies or call and take advice from 111.
"The fire has caused significant damage to part of the hospital site which will have a knock-on effect in the immediate coming days in relation to some outpatient appointments. All appointments today have been cancelled and patients should wait to hear from us directly.
"We are asking visitors to stay away from Southampton General Hospital today as we continue to respond to the incident."