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Surgery cancelled after gas blaze | |
(about 13 hours later) | |
All adult outpatient clinics and some operations at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital have been cancelled following a fire. | |
About 130 patients had to be moved after a gas cylinder caught fire at the site of a new critical care unit. | |
Cataract surgery, CT scans and x-rays are postponed but maternity, children's and dental clinics are running. | |
The hospital's medical director, Dr Tony Stephen, said staff were trying to prevent patient backlogs. | |
"We would recognise this is going to cause some additional inconvenience to patients, we are working exceedingly hard to fix this," he said. | |
"We are trying to minimise the number of cancelled operations and we will find new appointments for people as quickly as possible." | |
The hospital said no operations would take place except cardiac, burns and plastics surgery. | |
It is thought that the gas cylinder will be made safe by Wednesday afternoon and the exclusion zone will be lifted. | |
The hospital is opening a helpline for patients. The number is 0800 9801100. | The hospital is opening a helpline for patients. The number is 0800 9801100. |