PATIENTS were evacuated from Glasgow's new hospital today after a fire broke out in one of the single rooms on the 11th floor.

Police said a man has been charged in connection with the incident, which happened at around 2.12am today in ward 11 of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

The 37-year-old is a patient in the hospital and suffered injuries during the blaze.

A total of 17 patients were moved to other areas of the hospital after the alarm was raised.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said no patients or staff were injured due to the "swift and well rehearsed" actions of staff.

The fire was extinguished by the hospital's sprinkler system and the fire services and police were called to the scene.

Some patients due to be admitted to the hospital today are understood to have been sent home as a result of the fire.

One eyewitness told the Evening Times: "I accompanied a family member to the hospital this morning.

"She and several others were sent home again as the patients from ward 11 were evacuated because of a fire in the ward.

"They apparently had to be accommodated in the ward intended for those patients who were told to go home."

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "We can confirm that a fire occured in one of theh patient rooms at the QEUH.

"Police Scotland has subsequently charged a patient in connection with the incident.

"No other patients or staff were injured thanks to the swift and well rehearsed actions of staff who very quickly moved the other patients in the ward to other areas of the hospital and alerted the fire services and police."

A spokeswoma for Police Scotland said: "At approx. 2.12 am on Wednesday  emergency services attended reports of a room on fire on the 11th floor at the QEUH. 

"The fire was extinguished by the in house sprinkler system, however, 17 patients from the ward were evacuated as a precaution due to smoke damage.  

"No one was injured. 

"A 37 year old man is the subject of a report to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with the incident."

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