Lincoln Hospital: Man charged with arson over hospital A&E blaze

Several fire engines and police cars attended the fire at Lincoln County Hospital A&E on Monday

A man has been charged with arson following a fire which led to the closure of the emergency department at a Lincolnshire hospital.

Patients and staff had to be evacuated from Lincoln County Hospital's A&E unit early on Tuesday morning.

John Gillion Watson, 56, of Vicarage Court, Sleaford, was charged with arson recklessly endangering life, according to Lincolnshire Police.

He was due to appear before Lincoln Magistrates' Court later, it added.

The fire broke out in a radiology room at about 03:00 BST on Tuesday, with affected patients having to be cared for in other areas of the hospital, United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) said.

No-one was injured, but the blaze caused "extensive damage", including to X-ray, CT and MRI scanners, according to Lincolnshire Police.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust declared a major incident as a result of the fire

UHLT said some hospital services affected by the fire had since resumed.

A spokesperson said: "Outpatient appointments are going ahead with a small number of exceptions. Patients will be contacted directly and their appointments rearranged where this is the case.

"The adjoining Lincoln Urgent Treatment Centre has also reopened with a reduced service."

Meanwhile, patients who were due to have an X-ray, CT or MRI scan on Wednesday, have been asked not to attend the hospital.

Those affected would be contacted directly, the trust said.

Andrew Morgan, ULHT chief executive, said he could not give a time or date when the A&E department would be able to reopen.

Ambulance crews which usually served Lincoln County Hospital had instead been taking patients to the "nearest hospital appropriate to their care needs", East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) said.

EMAS asked people to make their own way to a treatment centre if they were able to do so.

Those with a "non life-threatening urgent medical need" should first use alternative services such as NHS111 online or a pharmacy, an EMAS spokesperson said.