Huge fire breaks out at St Michael’s hospital in Bristol

A large fire has broken out at a maternity hospital in Bristol, with smoke visible from miles away.

Pregnant people and newborns in St Michael’s Hospital, near the University of Bristol, were being evacuated as flames raged inside.

Midwives were seen helping patients who were being moved outside of the building.

Residents were urged to avoid the area after an alarm was raised at around 4.30pm.

Black smoke billowed into the sky, high above the Wills Memorial Tower, which is the fourth highest building in the city.

Footage circulating on social media indicates that the fire had reached the roof of the hospital, though it is unclear if that is where it started.

In the video, more than a dozen firefighters are seen tackling the inferno, which is visible from the ground.

Emergency services are already at the scene, with multiple crews battling the flames as the incident unfolds.

Avon Fire and Rescue Services has urging people to avoid the area, adding in a statement: ‘We are currently responding to a fire on Southwell Street, Bristol.’

An hour after the fire was detected, the service said: ‘We can confirm that the fire has safely been extinguished.’

No casualties have currently been reported and the cause of the fire is still unconfirmed, while an investigation is ongoing.

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