A HUGE blaze which destroyed part of a North Yorkshire hospital was most likely caused by solar panels.
The investigation into the fire at Malton Hospital's Springwood ward is ongoing, with a full report expected in the coming weeks.
However, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has established that the fire most likely started at one of the solar panels on the roof of the building.
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the 15-bed unit, said: "Due to the damage sustained to the solar panels during the fire, it has not been possible to determine any further details about the cause.
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"Thanks to the quick response from our colleagues on the ground, the building was safely evacuated and no one was harmed.
"We are grateful to the emergency services for their swift response, to our Springwood colleagues, staff across our trust and to the local community in Malton, who offered help and support during the incident.
"The safety of our staff and the people we care for remains our priority. We have robust fire safety measures in place across our trust, including regular fire alarm testing and fire safety checks. We can confirm that Fire Safety Risk Assessments are in place and current for all our trust buildings. This also applies to our electrical infrastructure and installations.
"We can also confirm that the fire safety systems at Springwood operated as they were supposed to when the fire started."
We are continuing to manage the Springwood site and ensure it remains safe. We will share updates as this work progresses."
The fire broke out at Malton and Norton District Hospital at about 11.15 am on Wednesday, July 8, with numerous fire services attending.
At its peak, the fire could be seen as far away as Pocklington.
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