Overview
- A large fire broke out at the Springwood unit on the Malton and Norton District Hospital site on Wednesday, prompting a full evacuation and a multi‑crew response from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
- All patients and staff were evacuated with no reported injuries and 15 patients were moved to Malton School for care and support.
- Fire crews used multiple main jets and an aerial ladder platform and worked through the night to extinguish the blaze, leaving the specialised older‑people mental health and dementia unit heavily damaged and out of action.
- Malton Urgent Treatment Centre reopened on Friday but the main hospital remains temporarily closed while teams complete site safety checks, contact affected patients, and rearrange appointments.
- Investigation teams remain on site to establish the cause after witnesses reported loud bangs that fire officers say may have been oxygen canisters, and the town has mobilised volunteers and local facilities to help evacuees and staff.