Stafford Hospital's accident and emergency department has been evacuated and ambulances diverted after a fire.
Patients and staff had to flee a fire at a hospital's accident and emergency unit.
Emergency services were called to the site in Weston Road at 09:45 BST after the fire started in an extractor fan on an outside wall of the casualty unit.
The blaze at Stafford Hospital was spotted at 09:45 BST in an extractor fan on the building.
Ambulances were diverted to other hospitals and patients were asked to use accident and emergency departments elsewhere.
Ambulances were diverted to other hospitals, while doctors assessed those patients already at the hospital on the back of the vehicles.
Five ambulances were at the hospital when the fire started.
The blaze was put out by 11:45 but the unit remained closed until about 13:30.
Doctors assessed the patients on the back of the vehicles. Three were taken straight to wards, but two had to be transferred to University Hospital North Staffordshire.
Of the patients assessed on ambulances, three were taken straight to wards, while two were transferred to University Hospital North Staffordshire.
The fire had been put out by 11:45 BST and hospital staff originally said they hoped to reopen it at 13:00 BST, but it remains closed.
Other patients were moved to hospitals including New Cross, Burton and Walsall.
Ambulance crews have been treating some patients at home and transferring others to hospitals including New Cross, Burton and Walsall.
Fire crews from Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent have been on the scene ventilating the building and carrying out checks.
