Emergency services were called to the scene after a blaze broke out inside a bathroom.
Lauren Harte and Annette Belcher
09:43, 23 Apr 2026Updated 09:44, 23 Apr 2026
A fire started at the Royal Victoria Hospital (Image: Daily Mirror)
A man has died following a fire in the emergency department of a Belfast hospital. Emergency services responded to the blaze at the Royal Victoria Hospital on Wednesday evening after a fire broke out inside a bathroom. The incident triggered an immediate response from multiple agencies as they worked to contain the situation within the medical facility.
Police, ambulance, and fire crews arrived on the scene shortly before 6.45pm to tackle the fire. The blaze occurred specifically within the accident and emergency (A&E) unit of the hospital. Authorities have confirmed the fatality following the incident, which saw a significant emergency presence at the site throughout the evening, reports BelfastLive.
Reports said a man was injured following a fire in the toilets of the ED and was being treated for burns. He has since died in hospital.
In an update on Thursday, a PSNI spokesperson said: “Police and fire crews were called to the Emergency Department of the Royal Victoria Hospital on Wednesday, 22nd April, at around 6.50pm.
“A man in his 30s has since passed away in hospital. This is being treated as a sudden death and not suspicious at this time.”
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said four pumping appliances and around 20 personnel were deployed to the scene.
A NIFRS statement said: “One male was injured and we had four pumping appliances there, the area was smoke logged.”
It was reported that crews left the scene at around 9.10pm.
The ED’S main waiting area and reception were closed and patients attending were directed via a side entrance with some ambulances diverted to other city hospitals for a short time.