Doc finishes op despite fire

News | HSP
03.01.2008

Thanks to emergency situation training, a consultant surgeon at Britain's leading cancer hospital coolly finished a cancer operation as fire ravaged the building.

London's famous Royal Marsden was ablaze recently after a fire broke out, destroying much of the roof and a number of operating theatres. However, Fiona MacNeill continued with her team of eight medics for 20 minutes with alarms shrieking. "I was aware it was a very serious fire, but I didn't know how far away it was," she said. "I decided to carry on as normal."

"We're trained to deal with emergency situations," she added. But I must admit this was a once in a lifetime one for me."

The patient was moved to a nearby hospital recover and all indications suggest the surgery was successful.

An investigation into the cause of the fire has begun.