No concerns for patient being operated on during Calvary Hospital fire on Tuesday

The fire broke out in an empty operating theatre on Tuesday at around 12.30pm, Calvary Hospital said.

Emergency Services ACT said the fire was sparked in a roof cavity.

Any patients in the vicinity of the fire were unharmed and appropriately managed, the hospital said.

While the operating complex remained closed on Wednesday afternoon, the emergency department had reopened.

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Other services, including in and outpatient clinics, were also operating as usual.

Maternity services were still being bypassed to Canberra Hospital, whose emergency department reportedly had a waiting time of four to five hours on Tuesday night.

Any impacted elective surgery patients will be contacted for alternative arrangements, ACT Health said.

Patients and staff in Building 4, also known as the Xavier Building, were evacuated as ACT Fire and Rescue examined the scene on Tuesday.

Some patients waited outside for a few hours before being taken to an adjacent building, with an image supplied by a patient showing people sitting in chairs and beds in hospital gowns.

Calvary said this was because Fire and Rescue had to complete their air monitoring and ensure patients would remained unaffected by smoke.

The hospital said it took control from Emergency Services ACT at around 7.30pm on Tuesday.

Bus 901 was temporarily affected by the closure of Mary Potter Circuit, with two stops closed on Tuesday.

This has re-opened, Transport Canberra said.

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